Magik Viper
by Mystic Vixen
Summary: daughter of a human and a Viper, Rayanna has always been an outcast by humans and by the Viper home world. But what will she do when her mother's sister, calls saying the Vipers need Raynna's help. Will she help them? Or shun them like they did to her?
1. Chapter 1

**_A/N: This is my first City of Heros fic. I bought the game and the first toon I made, struck a story idea and so I ran with it. The characters Veil Allegory and Armies are toons played by two of my friends on the game. they have given me permision to use their characters for this story. This is about the background of my toon Magik Viper. I hope you enjoy and please review. _**

"Viper, they're coming behind you!" Came Veil's voice as he snapped her out of the thoughts and when she spun around she saw three Outcasts coming for her. She managed to dodge a few attacks but one got her in the chest and forced her to the ground but when she managed to get to her feet, she deceived two of the three into believing that their fellow Outcast had turned against them and so they began to attack him. The third and final Outcast, Viper made him believe that he was seeing things that were not actually there.

**"SNAKES!!!!"** Screamed the Outcast as his fellow Outcasts continued to beat on him. A moment later, Viper's team mates, Veil and Armies, came to her side and simply watched the scene before them. A few moments past and finally all three of the remaining Outcasts were out like broken lights on a Christmas tree.

"That all of them?" Viper asked.

"Believe so." Veil said as they all crowded together and Armies got out a device he head found that would allow them to teleport out of the cave if they were close together. As soon as they were outside, Viper said, "That was a good job you guys. However, Armies, next time don't engage the enemy until Veil or I can get to you first."

"Sorry." Armies said.

Just then Viper's cell phone went off and as she apologized, she turned around and answered it.

"Magik Viper."

_ "Rayanna,"_ Came a voice that Viper had not heard in a few weeks.

"Dad? Is everything all right? Are you all right?"

_"I'm fine Rayanna but your planet is not." _

"What are you talking about? What's happening on Earth?" Viper asked confused. Why should she care that her planet was in trouble when they did to actually acknowledge her existence.

_"Not Earth Rayanna. Malous. Your mother's sister, Sanna, has contacted me and is wishing to speak with you as soon as she can. She claims that it is urgent." _

"Why?"

_"I don't know she wouldn't say. She simply said she needed to speak with you immediantly." _

"I'll go home and contact her on that link you gave me."

_"Rayanna, no matter what you decided, know that I love you." _

"I know. I love you too." Rayanna said a little worried about her father and what her aunt could possiably want.

"Everything all right Raynna?" Veil asked as a concerned friend. It wasn't that he liked her or anything but she was one of his best friends and if he ever needed help with a mission, Viper was the first one that he called.

"I'm not sure. I've got to get home to intercept a call from my mother's sister."

"Wow wait a sec," Armies said, "This same mother's sister who is full viper? The same people who live on a completely different planet and have had no contact with you what so ever cause you are a hybrid of human and Viper."

**"Armies!" **Veil yelled. He was repeating information about Viper that didn't need to be said twice. They all knew of Viper's past and of the home world that didn't want to have anything to do with her and Veil didn't want Armies to bring up a topic that was going to upset Viper.

"What?" Armies asked looking at Veil. Why had Veil yelled at him like that? He had simply asked a question and didn't see anything wrong with asking questions but then again he never did.

"It's all right Veil." Viper replied, "Yes Armies. This is the same mother's sister who lives on the planet of Vipers who have never acknowledged my existence." Viper replied. She knew Veil always tried to protect her and she appreciated him for that but she knew one day there was going to be something that he couldn't protect her from and maybe, just maybe, this was it.

"What are you going to do?" Veil asked.

"I'm going to my apartment and get a hold of Sanna and find out why the hell she is contacting me after all this time." Viper said as she put on her raptor pack and took to the sky but stopped when she heard Armies' voice.

"We'll come with you." Armies said inviting himself and Veil over to Viper's house. Veil simply rolled his eyes for he knew that Viper probably wanted to do this alone and since she wasn't fighting anyone, physically anyway, he would allow her to do as she wanted this time.

Viper thought about it for a moment and said, "All right. You two can come."

"See told ya all ya had to do was ask." Armies said hitting Veil on the shoulder as he began to hover in the air and Veil got out his own raptor pack and they began to follow their friend to her home where, they knew, she would figure everything out and know exactly what to do as she always did.

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**_A/N: Please review. I hope you ejoyed it. I will have the next chapter up in a couple of days._**


	2. Chapter 2

**_A/N: I hope you enjoy and please review. _**

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When the three walked into the apartment, Armies and Veil stopped at the door to examine what they were seeing or what their brains didn't think was there. The walls did not seem to exist but were replaced by gorgeous, full, green fields with flowers with a color of blue that put oceans to shame. The sky was the same color but a softer tone which made one feel as if they truly belonged within these four walls. Perhaps that was why Viper had this done but who had done this amazing mural? Did Viper posses such abilities as to inscribe a beautiful landscape scene such as this upon the wall and take one's breath away?

"Wow." Veil said not realizing he had said it out loud.

"What?" Viper asked from the kitchen as she came back in to the front room and saw the guys starring at the mural that wrapped all away around the apartment.

"This is amazing." Veil and Armies said at the same time.

Viper laughed and said, "Thank you."

"Did you do all this?" Armies asked.

"Yes."

"When?" Veil asked, "I mean we all always have missions. When did you ever have time to draw this yet alone paint it?"

"I started the day I moved in."

"Wasn't that senior year of college?" Veil asked, "Before that you lived in the dorms."

"Yea. I still wasn't going on that many missions and I still missed being away from my dad so when I had free time I needed something to cheer me up and that's always been drawing. So this popped into my head and I kind of got carried away." Viper said as she looked around the apartment. She loved the mural on the wall and was glad that she had done it. Just then there was a beeping noise coming from another room.

Viper ran into the room with Veil and Armies following her and at first it just looked like a normal bedroom until Viper pushed a button on the wall and a moment later the room turned into headquarters complete with computers, police scanners and a digital map of Paragon City.

"This how you know what missions we are on?" Armies asked, "That is when you are not with us."

"Pretty much. I like to keep an eye on my friends and make sure they aren't getting into trouble." Viper said looking at Armies with a smile but before he could say anything the beeping sounded once more. Viper pushed a pearl button and a hologram of a dark grey scaly woman came up in between Viper and her friends. The woman was in humanoid form but she was clearly not human. She had scales, similar to Viper's, with red eyes, long, waist length dark blue hair and sent chills up Armies' back just looking at her.

"Rayanna." Said the woman showing her fangs as well as her forked tongue.

"Sanna." Viper said in a not all too friendly voice. As Viper spoke, she too showed her fangs but she did not have the forked tongue that her aunt, and the rest of the vipers, had. "Why have you called me?"

"It is a matter of life or death. The life or death of your people." Sanna replied.

"My people?" Viper asked, "Humans are my people. Vipers are my mother's people. The people who have not bothered to acknowledge my existence because I am a hybrid!"

"I know we haven't treated you as we should have Viper but you may very well be this planet's last hope." Sanna said catching Viper off guard. That was not a response that she was expecting from her Aunt. Why on earth would she be the last hope of a people who didn't want anything to do with her? She was raised human and there for hardly knows the customs of her mother's people but was it too late to learn? If the opportunity came along, which obviously it looked like it would, would she take the chance to study the half of herself that she has never known?

Silence filled the room, as Viper was not sure what to say in response to her aunt but finally said, "Sanna what do you want from me?" She was growing tired of her aunt beating around the bush and not saying exactly what she wanted from Raynna. There was silence from Sanna for a while and Viper guessed she was gathering her words carefully and just when the silence was becoming unbearable, Sanna spoke.

"It is not what I want that matters but the will of the Viper Empress."

"What does she have to do with this?"

Armies diverted his attention to Veil, cupping his hand and whispering, _"Who is the Empress?"_

Veil simply shrugged and said, _"Dammed if I know. What makes you think I know?" _

_"You've known Viper longer. Thought she might have talked to you about it." _

_"No. Never said a word." _

"The Empress wishes to see you." Sanna said and Viper knew she was beating around the bush once again but that would not last long.

"Why?"

"She's dying, Rayanna."

"What?!?" Raynna exclaimed. She had never gotten to know the Empress but she was the only Viper, until now, that she had had any contact with. True, she only had contact to tell her and her father that the planet would have no part in Rayanna's power training but at least she did that much.

"Rayanna, she has lived a full life." Sanna said struggling to hold back her tears.

"What does the Empress what to see me for?" Rayanna quickly asked while Sanna was not too over come with emotion.

"She wants you to come to Malous and take her place as ruler."

Viper's jaw dropped as did Armies' and Veil's and then Armies got over his shock and shouted, "COOL!!! Magik Viper's gonna rule a planet!!!!"

Viper tried to ignore Armies for the moment as she took a deep breath, turned to her aunt and said, "Sanna, I'll call you back."

"Make it fast, Rayanna." Sanna said and then she was gone. Viper turned from the com-link and then sat in her comfy office chair, placed her face in her hands and sighed. What was she to do? Everything was coming at her so fast and for the first time in her life she had no idea what to do.

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**_A/N: Please review. I hope you ejoyed it. I will have the next chapter up in a couple of days._**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hope you are enjoyign this. These first few chapters were themost fun to write. Please enjoy this and don't hesitate to critizes something. However, this is not permision to flame. Thx and enjoy.

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After Viper hung up with Sanna, she sat back in her chair and placed her face in her hands. Veil moved to her side, pulled a chair up, placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and asked, "Vip, are you all right?"

"Other than the fact that the dying Empress of a people I've never known yet alone met, wants me to take her place as ruler, I'm fine. Peachy even."

"Viper's gonna be a ruler! Viper's gonna be a ruler!" Armies said making circles with his arms and kicking his legs out with the beat of the tune he was singing.

"No I'm not!" Viper said singing her reply in the same tune.

"What?" Armies asked as if he were a child disappointed with his gifts that he had received on Christmas morning, "Why not?"

"Cause**_ this_** planet needs me." Viper replied, "**_This_** planet has been my home all my life, why would I leave it to rule a planet of people who have never wanted me, until now it seems?"

"Vip, let me ask you a question." Veil said rubbing his chin, thinking, "Why would a dying Emperies' last request be to bring a hybrid of Viper and human to the planet?"

"What do you mean?" Armies asked not following Veil although Viper knew exactly where he was going with this and she knew that she should have told him and Armies the truth about, her position in the Viper community. Had she been full Viper she would have all ready told her friends but she really didn't see the point then cause she, as far as she knew, wasn't going to ever have any contact with the planet of Vipers and of course that all has changed now.

"Think about it, Armies." Veil said, "In all of history, the only way to be ruler of a kingdom or a nation, aside from America of course, is if you are born in the royal line. Viper is a hybrid. Not of royal blood. Why would the empress choose Viper?"

"Cause Viper totally kicks arse!!!" Armies said in reply. Veil and Viper simply laughed and as Viper took a deep breath she stood to her feet and said, "Actually there is something that I should have told you guys a long time ago."

"What?" Armies asked.

"You know you can tell us anything, Vip." Veil said.

"I know and I probably should have told you guys this sooner than now but I'm afriad of how you will react."

"Lady," VEil began using the nickname he had given her, "Whatever you have to tell us, I'm sure Armies and I can handle it. Please just tell us."

"All right but if I tell you this you have to promise not to go wacko on me. Okay?"

"Okay." Armies and Veil said at the same time.

"The reason the Empress has chosen me is because I am of royal blood."

"So you're like the last person that they would call upon or something?" Veil asked trying to come to a conclusion before Viper said it but he didn't know if he could. She wasn't exactly giving him much information to go off of.

"Actually, no." Viper replied, "Had I been full Viper, I would be the first in line for the crown."

"WHAT!?!?!?" The two exclaimed not sure what else to say.

"You…you..." Armies said, "You're a princess?"

"Yea, slight technicality. My mother, Sanna and their brother are the Empress's children."

"TOTALLY AWSOME!!!" Armies said and then began to bow down to Viper. Veil immediantly got him to his feet and slapped him upside the head saying, "knock it off."

"But she's royalty." Armies said looking at Veil. He really thought that if he didn't bow then he would be disrespecting the Princess. Even if she was still the same Viper he had known for years.

"I'm still the same Magik Viper you've known for years." Viper said as if she were reading Armies' thoughts.

"But now you're a princess." Armies said trying to show her the respect he knew a princess deserved.

"I've always been that."

"But now me and Veil, here, know."

"Guys, please don't treat me any differently," Viper said, "I am still the same person I was five seconds ago. The Viper's are no more my people now than they were before Sanna called."

"But you are their princess. You have to go!!!" Armies said, "It is your duty to your people."

"For the last time, Armies, they are not my people. They are my _**MOTHER'S **_people."

"Lady, I hate to say this," Veil said, "but Armies is right."

"I am?" Armies asked, "Of course I am!"

"What do you mean he's right?" Viper asked crossing her arms. She hated being told that she was wrong and that someone else was right.

"What have you wanted to do ever since I helped you control your powers?"

"Defend the helpless. Punish the guilty." Viper said not sure where her friend was going with this. She had been mistreated her whole life by others. The humans were not kind to her when she attended their schools. It wasn't until she moved to Paragon City to learn how to use her powers for good, that she made a real friend. And now she had two.

"Same thing here."

"Veil it's…." Viper said as she began to protest but Veil cut her off, which he rarley did.

"The same thing here. Apparently, your mother's planet has hit the rock bottom and can't get out alone. They need you to lead them. They need you to be their hero and pull them out of the hole that they are in."

"But I don't even know what the problem is!"

"Doesn't matter. A hero doesn't always know what he or she is getting into. Raynna," Veil said using Viper's real name, which she knew meant that he was serious, "If you do not help the Vipers in their time of need, who will?"

Viper sank back into her chair, ran her hand across her bald head and on to her long high pony tail that held her blue hair and touched her birth mark tattoo on the back of her head and said, "I hate it when you do that. You know that right?"

"Do what?" Armies asked just now tuning back into the conversation for he had been off gloating to himself that Veil had said that he had been right.

Veil smiled and said, "I know but you know I'm right."

"Yea, yea."

"So you'll go?" Veil asked.

"Yes. I'll go." Viper said turning to the com when Armies shouted, "YAY! Weget to go to another planet!!!"

"Whoa. Whoa!" Viper said, "I never said anything about_** WE**_!"

"Aww, come on, Vip!!!" Armies whined like a puppy trying to get attention from its owner.

"No!" Viper said and then connected with Sanna once more.

"You've made your choice then?" Sanna asked greeting her niece. There was no time for small talk. If Rayanna was going to do this, it was urgent that she came immediantly.

"I have."

"Well?"

"I will do as you have asked."

"Not alone you won't." Veil said shocking Viper. He had not said anything while she had talked with Sanna a few moments earlier. Why was he speaking now? Why wouldn't he allow her to go alone and what was the deal with him agreeing with Armies all of a sudden. Was Armies really smarter than Viper gave him credit for?

"Veil, I can take care of myself." Viper argued glaring at her friend with her gauntlet red eyes , which she never did. She was never angered easily by Armies, yet alone Veil but for her to give them a final answer and for Veil not to listen to her was not going to go over well.

"I never said you couldn't Raynna," Veil said, "but forgive me if I do not trust the people who have abandoned you." Veil said in a challangeing tone toward Sanna. He wasn't about to let one of his good friends leave this planet with out back up.

"Veil you are the one who told me to go." Viper said looking at Veil carefully. Why was he acting like this? She knew he always tried to protect her but in battle, if she came across a boss then he allowed her to take him out. Why was this any different? He knew that she could fend for herself and if anyone messed with her they may not live to see another day.

"Yes. I told you to go but I never said anything about going alone or about trusting them."

"Raynna, your friend's worry is not with out cause. It would be wise if you allowed them to come. For your protection."

"Fine." Viper said not too happy, "However I call the shots. I am in charge of this mish."

"Wouldn't have it any other way Lady."

"And Armies, the first time you charge with out my direction, I will send you back here so fast it will make your great grandchildren's' heads spin."

Armies nodded and then said, "YAY!! We get to go to another planet!!!"

Viper turned back to Sanna and said, "Sanna, tell us what we need to do."

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A/N: Please Review. Armies, Veil this applies to you too. : D 


	4. Chapter 4

_**A/N: Thanks for the review. Please enjoy. **_

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_**A Few hours later:**_

The space craft was silent as the dead of night when everyone was suppose to be resting for the coming day until a groan disturbed the silence.

"We there yet?"

Viper simply rolled her eyes and did her best to ignore her childish friend. He may have been more skilled with some of his powers, such as flight but Viper was most defiantly the more tactful and patient of the two. Viper was able to sit back and think of a plan unlike Armies. So when Armies charged at a group of outcasts that were more powerful than he it agitated Veil and Viper. Esspesually when they had to be transported to the reviving chamber.

"Aren't you the one who wanted to go to another planet?" Viper asked looking to see how much father they had to travel. She didn't like being in this ship for this long either but she had the patience that Armies lacked.

"Yea, but I didn't think we'd be doing nothing for hours on end." Armies complained as he sat upside down in his chair. He was bored out of his mind and didn't see how Viper and Veil didn't feel the same way.

"Sanna never said why your grandmother wants you to take the thrown did she?" Veil asked making conversation for if he didn't get his mind off of Armies being bored, he was gonna stranglet he tiny illusion controller.

"No. She didn't." Viper said, "Guess it was something she couldn't say over the link."

"Why doesn't Sanna take the thrown?" Armies asked upside down still.

"I'm not sure." Viper said, "the books that I've read about the viper culture say that should the children of the ruler not wish to take the thrown it would fall to their children."

"You don't think Sanna wants the thrown?" Veil asked and yet again Viper had no answer but she knew Sanna would, if they ever got there.

Suddenly, the ship acted as if they'd his a pot hole but, as everyone knew, there were no roads in space. This cause Armies to fall to the floor, on his head.

"Ow!!" Armies said standing to his feet.

"That's what ya get for sittin' upside down." Viper said laughing.

Armies stuck his tounge out at Viper and then turned to Veil and asked, "What the hell was that?"

"We dropped out of hyperspace." Veil replied to his friend, "We here?"

Viper did not need to answer for the three saw the viper planet. Viper's breath was taken away but the scene set before her. The oceans only covered certain area of the planet and in fact, Malous was the exact oposet of earth. The land, a tan color with spots of green here and there, covered nearly the whole planet. This made Viper wonder how the people got their water but her thoughts were interrupted but a beeping."

"Whats that?" Armies asked in a panicky voice.

"In coming call."

"Sanna?" Veil asked Viper.

"Sure as hell better be." Viper replied, "I'm not in the mood to get attacted by mother's people."

Viper flipped the switch and Sanna appered on the screen.

"We are here, Sanna." Viper said.

"Good."

"Um…Vip…"Armies said from behind Viper. He had moved to look at the navigations system when he had heard a slight beeping and what he saw he did not think was good.

"Yes Armies?" Viper asked after telling Sanna to hold on for a second.

"You know how you said you don't wanna get attacked."

"Yeah."

"Well I'm starting to think that they don't care."

"why?" Viper asked

"Cause there is a relatively large ship coming towards us." Armies said, causing Veil to get out of his seat and stand by Armies to see what the fellow controller was seeing.

"He's right Viper. We might be under attack." Veil said looking back at Viper. The last thing Viper wanted to do was be caught in a fight with her mother's people. She had been asked to come, in secret no doubt, to help these people not to fight them. There was still time to turn back and go home but Viper had never run away from anything in her life and she was not about to start now.

"How large is the ship?" Viper asked trying to think tactively but this didn't make sence.

"About twice the size of ours." Veil said, "One shot from them would take out our hyberdrvie."

"But why send only one ship?" Viper asked, "that's not a very smart tactical maneuver. At the least send two."

"Because the ship is not there to harm you." Sanna said.

"How can you be so sure?" Veil asked before Viper could. He knew what she would say and so he said it for her.

"Because the personal guard to the emperess is aboard. He has been given specific orders to bring you to the palace. Rayanna, as soon as you get here, I will escort you to the emperesse's chambers. She wishes to speak with you immediately."

"Very well, what would you have us do?" Viper asked her aunt.

"Your ship is small enough that it will fit inside the royal air craft. Once you have landed and are safe with in the palace, I will answer any questions that you may have. Which I bet are many."

Viper nodded her head and awaited for the guard to give her directions to get on to the ship.

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Please review. 


	5. Chapter 5

"Sanna, why does the empress want me?" Viper askedquickly getting to the point. This was clearly not a moment to beat around the bush. , "Is there no other viper who would take the throne?"

"There is one." Sanna said, "But he is the one the empress wishes to save her people from."

"Who?" Veil asked as they followed Sanna through the strange palace. There were so many twist and turns down the hall way along with stained glass windows that when the sun hit just right, it made the colors dance upon the walls.

"Rayanna's cousin, Tyron. My brother's son. I am the only one left of the empress's children for Rayanna's mother died and a few years ago so did my brother."

"And you don't want the throne?" Armies asked finally.

"No. I've never been much for being in the spot light. I'd rather help someone get to power and be behind the scene than be in control myself and seeing as how I have no children, Rayanna and Tyron are the only heirs. Rayanna being the eldest, she should rightfully get it without question."

"But since I am only half viper…."

"There will be difficulties. Yes however, I recently took a secret poll and most of the people say they'd rather be ruled by a half viper that is just and true rather than a full viper that is corrupt and will lead the planet into oblivion."

"What is so bad about Tyron?" Veil asked curiously after he heard the word oblivion, he knew there had to be something wrong with the guy. From what he had gotten from Sanna so far, she was not the type of person to object to someone unless there was a need for someone to do so and in this case he could tell, just by looking at her eyes, that there was a need to do so.

"Tyron was rasied by my brother." Sanna said,

"And that is a bad thing?" Viper asked guessing but don't knowing if she was right or not.

"No. My brother was not a bad person in the least. He had the same morals, and objectives that I do. "

"But?" Armies asked knowing that there had to have been a but coming.

"However, Tyron desires the throne all too much. He is willing to do anything to get what he wants."

"Anything?" Armies asked.

"Anything." Sanna said making a left turn down yet another hall way, "The Empress noticed this when Tyron became of age to become the heir to the throne. She never intended to leave the throne to him. It was just a matter of who she would leave it to and when no one else…."

"She turned to me." Rayanna said and Sanna nodded her head when she stopped at a door, "This is it. She wishes to speak with you and you alone." Sanna said looking at Veil and Armies as she spoke, "I will be down the hall in the den waiting if you should need me."

Rayanna nodded her head and when Sanna had gone, Viper stood facing the red tinted wooden door with her gray skinned hand clutching the oval door knob for dear life and her heart beating as if she'd just run a marathon with in her chest. She felt a gentle warm hand placed on her shoulder as if it were an attempt to sooth her beating heart.

"Vip?"Came Veil's gental voice. Viper loved hearing it and could, would, never get tired of listing to it. Veil's voice was as gental and as soft as a baby lamb's wool. As comforting as a glass of cold milk and a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies but when needed, Veil's voice could be as cold as ice and as hard as the steel bars that they placed the villains behind. This voice was never ever used towards Viper and Armies but for the bad guys. "Viper, are you all right?" Veil asked when Viper did not answer to her name alone.

"Yeah," Viper said clearing her throat, "Just nervos I suppose."

"The Extrodinary Radiant Magik Viper is nervous?" Armies asked. He had never seen his female friend get nervous, scared or sad for that matter. Maybe she fetl that she had to be the strong one for some reason but he didn't know why. "You never get nervous or scared for that matter."

"Trust me Armies," Viper said shaking her head as she turned to face her two friends, "I've been plenty scared to last me the rest of my life. But…"

"But what?" Veil asked when she did not finish her sentence.

"What if she doesn't like me?"

"Who? The Empress?" Armies asked, "Why you worried 'bout that? Oh course she'll like you. She has to right?"

Viper noted how Armies had been so confident in his answer at first but his conficence, along with the comfort he was trying to give Viper, dwinduled away. She quickly looked to Veil for help. She knew he'd always have something to say to to comfort her in any situation.

"You are a radiant woman," Veil said careful not to use her race, races actually, seeing as how vipers didn't care for humans, "and anyone would be lucky to have you as their princess. Besides, she wouldn't have sent for you if she did not like you."

Viper nodded her head took a deep breath and just as she was about to open the door Armies began to follow, as did Veil. "Guys, I think I better do this alone. Its one thing for her to welcome a half viper but I don't know how she'd feel about two full humans in her chambers."

"You sure?" Veil asked unwilling to leave her alone with the vipers. She may have their blood running through her veins and look like them but Veil wasn't too sure that those outside of Sanna and the empress would accept her as she was.

"Yes, I'm sure. Can you make it back to Sanna?"

Veil nodded his head and finally allowed Viper to ender her grandmother's chamber. When Vip had left, Armies looked from the door to Veil and asked, "We really going to leave her here? I mean isn't it dangerous for her to be alone?"

"She wouldn't walk Armies, she'd fly and yes its dangerous for her."

"Then why are we leaving her?"

"WE're not." Veil said, "Just making her think we are. You of all people should know how independent she is."

"You want me to make us invisible." Armies said concluding Veil's idea before Veil spoke it. Veil simply nodded his head as his tiny controller friend made them invisible to the viper eye.

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Viper walked into her grandmother's chambers, closed the door and simply looked around for a moment. On the wall opposet her, were two huge beautiful stain glass windows. The evening sun was hitting the beautiful different colors, some of which didn't even exist on earth, just right that the room itself seemed to be stained with the multi colors. 

The Empress' bed was in the middle of the room. An elegeant dark blue silk hung from the top of the bed to form a canapy. Her blanket and sheets were a deep shade of black with almost a celtic, deep red, design.

"Come." Came a weak voice from the beautifully decorated bed. The rough, weak, sketchy voice startled Viper as it pulled her from her thoughts. Viper forced herself, as nervous as she was, to move toward the bed where her dying grandmother lay. Her frail old skin was no longer the dark gray nearly black color it was in her youth but a very light shade of gray that seemed to be nearly white. The color of her heair had faded through the years as her skin had. She had a deep red night gown on underneath the black blanket that attempted to keep her dying body warm.

"Raynna," Said the Empress as Viper knelt beside the bed, "Thank you for coming."

"You wanted to see me?" Viper asked not sure what else to say to the empress.

"Yes, I need to tell you something."

"I'm listening your majesty."

"First of all….Rayanna, please, call me grandmother or by my name Pennae but not by my title."

"Very well….grandmother." Viper said with a smile. She had never known her father's parents and there for had never been spoiled like most kids are, "What do you need to tell me?"

"That I'm dying."

"I know." Rayanna said, "Sanna told me."

"I'm sure but she has not told you why."

"Because of your old age." Viper said but Pennae simply shook her head the best she could.

"No. My daughter does not know the real reason. Everyone simply assumes that is why I am about to go to the ancestors."

"What do you mean?" Viper said standing to her feet. None of this was making any sense at all. Was this simply the ramblings of a dying woman or was she truly speaking the truth.

"I've been poisoned."

"How do you know?"

"My doctor." She said, "He…found a trace of a poison in my…blood. It's a posion….that kills slowly."

"You believe Tyron did this?" Viper asked remembering that Sanna had said that Tyron would do anything to get the throne.

"I know he did." Pennae said trying to say her last words that Rayanna needed to here. Viper noticed how she was speaking more slowly now and was beginning to slur her words together. She reached for a cup resting on the nightstand but could not reach it. Viper picked it up and helped her grandmother to drink of the water before she continued with her information.

"What am I supposed to do?" Viper asked confused as she set the cup back on the nightstand.

"Stop Tyron from stealing your throne."

"My throne?" Viper asked, "It has never been my throne."

"Rayanna, it has always …..been your throne but it has…. taken time for me to see what is rightfully yours. Please, forgive me for not…. being there for you but you must…..be there for….your people now."

"How? How am I suppose to stop Tyron?" Viper asked. She had been told by Sanna what she had to do but everyone was failing to tgell her exactly how she was going to over throw the prince.

"My personal guard." The empress said pointing to the door and as Rayanna turned around, she saw the man who had flown the space craft earlier. He was a young viper about the same age if not slightly younger than Viper. His hair was as dark as the night sky on earth and as long as Viper's. His skin was a much darker shade of grayt than Viper because being half human lightened her viper skin but what really caught Viper's attention were his eyes. They were not like Sanna's, the empress's nor Viper's own deep ruby red eyes. Viper's eyes were what gave the humans the idea that she was a villain and at one point Veil and Armies had to hold her back after she got into a scrap with a few fellow heroes because they were treating her like a villain. This silent viper guard had light blue eyes that seemed to bring peace to one's sole when looked upon. "He will…be your…guard now." Pennae said and with her last breath said, "Rayanna, I know you will…make a good empress. Make…me proud, granddaughter."

Then the empress closed her eyes but something over came Viper and as she climed on to the bed beside her grandmother, she turned to the guard and yelled, "Get Sanna in here!" Viper didn't know why but she felt she had to save the gradmother she had never known. Perhaps it was because she had empathy powers and would feel horrable if she did not at least try to heal the elderly woman but all Viper could do was pray that it would work.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N: Thanks for the review. Please enjoy. **_

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"Twenty bottles of beer on the wall. Twenty bottles of beer. Take one down pass it around nineteen bottles of beer on the wall." Armies sang as stood on his head with his back against the wall. The young controller was clearly bored and wanted to get some action in or at least get something to eat but he knew better than to even suggest leaving Viper for food to Veil. 

"Armies." Veil said annoyed. Armies had been singing the same song for the last half hour. He had messed up so many times and started over that Veil had lost count.

"Nineteen bottles of beer on the wall. Nineteen bottles of beer. Take one down pass it around eighteen bottles of beer on the wall."

"ARMIES!!!"

"What?"

"Stop singing!" Veil said, "That is very annoying."

"Sorry but I'm bored. How long does it take for Viper to talk to a dying empress?"

"When you are in the precense of such a person, you allow them to talk all they want." Veil said and was about to add something when the door flew open and the guard from the space craft flew out and down the hall. A split second later, Sanna and the guard came back down the hall and into the room.

"What's going on?" Armies asked Veil as if his friend knew something he did not but he knew Veil had no answer.

"I don't know." Veil said walking into the room, still invisible, and seeing Viper upon the bed using her empathy powers to heal the Empress, who Veil could see was clearly dead. Sanna's face was full of sorrow and tears as she turned to the guard and asked him to leave and once he left, closing the door behind him just as Armies had walked into the room, she tried to get Viper to stop but nothing could convince the young half viper that her grandmother was gone. "Get me visable!" Veil yelled, not because he was mad at Armies but because he was worried about Viper and needed to let her know that he was there with her. Armies simply nodded his head and a moment later both of them were visble once more.

"Rayanna," Sanna said through her tears, "She's gone. There is nothing you can do."

"No!" Viper yelled at her aunt as she tried once more to use her empathy powers to heal her grandmother. "This has to work."

"Rayanna." Veil said startling Sanna but Viper did not respond. Her eyes were closed with her empathy powers glowing all around her. When Veil saw that simply calling her name was not going to get Viper's attention, he picked her up off of the bed, set her on the ground and held her the best he could. She began to struggle and attempted to get back to the bed so she could continue her worthless effort.

"You are killing her!" She yelled beating on Veil's chest but Veil simply held his friend as tightly as he could without harming her and as he did he glanced at Sanna and Armies silently asking them for some privacy, which they granted him.

"I have to save her!!!" Viper continued to cry after Armies and Sanna left the room and as if someone had literally sucked the strength out of her, Viper's legs collapsed from beneath her but before she fell completely, Veil caught her and completely held her in his arms.

"Shh." Veil said whipping Viper's tears away. Her eyes were closed and she only let out small cries every now and then. She had exhausted herself from trying to save the empress and had fallen asleep in his arms. Veil walked out of the Empress's chambers and into the hall way where Sanna and Armies waited.

"Is she all right?" Sanna whispered.

"She will be. Is there a place where I can place her so she can sleep?" Veil asked.

Sanna thought for a moment and then said:there is but not here. With the emperess gone, Tyron will surly be on the move once he finds out." Sanna said as she revealed a secret passage way behind the wall in front of Sanna.

"Why don't you let Viper take the throne while no one knows of the Emperess's death?" Veil asked following close behind the viper woman.

"Because Tyron's people are no doubt keeping an eye upon the Emperess' every move."

"Or lack of." Armies chimed in.

"Besides," Sanna continued as if Armies had never spoken, "Rayanna is in no shape to take the throne. When she takes it she will be forced to fight Tyron's loyalists at the very least and more than likely Tyron himself."

"Not alone she wont." Veil said as Sanna opened yet another door that seemed to lead into the uncolorful living room. Compared to the great palace, this simple home was dull and uninviting but perhaps it was meant to be that way.

"As mus as I appreciate your concern for my niece, Mr. Allegory," Sanna said opening a bedroom door and allowing Veil to walk in first followed by Armies, "but there wil come a day when she must battle alone."

Veil gently placed Viper on the black and dark blue bed, ran his hand down her long pony tail and once he knew she would be all right, Veil turned to Sanna sand said evenly, As long as I breath, Magik Viper will never have to fight alone. Armies and I always have her back. That's what makes us family.

Sanna could clearly tell that she had angered Veil and would attempt to clam him but she also knew that Veil would one day have to let Rayanna stand alone. It was a simple fact that no one really wanted to deal with in general.

"Veil," Sanna said, "I'm sorry to upset you but Rayanna is capable of taking care of herself. She does not need a protector. She is a viper and vipers stand alone."

Sanna quickly realized that she had only added fuel to the flame of Veil's anger when she saw his jaw clinch.

"Forgive me, Sanna if I do not trust the people who abandoned Rayanna when she needed them the most! True is a viper but she is only half! She is also human and being human means being compassionate about someone and standing with them when they need someone to be with them! You could really learn something from her!" Veil said in a low tone that Armies rarely heard unless he was giving the bad guys a verbal lesson, which typically followed the physical lesson.

Veil began to head to the door but stopped for a moment, turning to Armies and said, "Stay with Viper. Let me know when she wakes."

"Where are you going?" Armies asked just as Veil walked our out of the room.

"Getting some fresh air." Came Veil's reply followed by the slamming door.

"He doesn't trust me." Sanna said after a moment of silence.

"Sanna Veil is…."

"…..right to be so careful." Sanna said cutting off Armies, "I only wish he could see that I am trying to help Rayanna now and not what I did not do for her years ago."

"I'm sure he will, eventually." Armies said, "It's just that Vip's been through a lot being half of two completely different races and Veil tried to make sure nothing happens to her."

"He cares for her." Sanna said plainly.

"Very much so." Armies said knowing his controller friend was only upset because he was worried about the half viper. He had also made a mental note about how Veil had called Viper by her given name, much like Sanna, instead of calling her Viper like normal. "He cares enough about her to want to make sure she is well taken care of." Armies added remembering the time that Veil had given Viper some money out of nowhere. He had said that it was for her birthday but Armies knew better than to believe his friend because the month was March and Viper's birthday wasn't until November.

Sanna nodded her head and said, "He is good for her. I can tell but if he hurts her……"

"Trust me, Sanna." Armies said, "That will never happen. Believe me. He cares about her too much to do anything that would hurt her."

Again, Sanna nodded her head and then said, "I'm sure you re starved. I will go make you and Veil something to eat while we wait for Rayanna to awake."

Armies nodded in reply as he took a chair from a desk and moved it to beside the bed and simply waited.

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Please review. 


	7. Chapter 7

chapter seven

"_Mama?" cried five year old Rayanna as she ran through the busy store. She had been with her mother just a second before but when she had turned her attention to a cool looking toy beside her and when she looked up her mother was gone. She was scared and had no idea what to do exact run through the store as fast as she could looking for her mother._

_"Are you lost, little girl?" Asked a very tall man. He wore black clothes, a belt and a very shinny badge on his chest. Rayanna realized rather quickly that he was a policeman. Her mother had always told her that if she were lost then she should find a policeman and he would help her but that was a saying that was easier said than done for a five year old little girl._

_Rayanna nodded her head as fresh tears began to run down her face. The officer picked her up and held her in his arms for a moment and then set her on a nearby bench. Knelt down in front of her, the policeman asked, "What's your name?"_

_"Rayanna Green."_

_"That's a very pretty name, Raynna." He said with a smile. "Now can you tell me who you are here with?"_

_"My mama but I can't find her. Iwaslookingatherbut….." Rayanna said talk so fast that the officer couldn't understand what she was saying._

_"Ok. It's all right. Try slowing down just a little bit. You were with your mother?"_

_Rayanna nodded her head and said, "I looked at her and then the toys and then she was gone."_

_"Ok." The policeman said standing up, "Lets walk around and see if we can't find her. What does she look like?"_

_Rayanna tried to tell the policeman the answer but she didn't know what her mother looked like. For any other child that would be a weird statement for her to make but she didn't. Her mother had a special watch that hid her real appearance from people, as did Rayanna, but being the scared five year old that she was, she couldn't remember what her mother's fake appearance looked like. When she didn't answer the policeman asked, "Do you have a picture of her in your purse?"_

_Rayanna thought for a moment and then nodded her head with a slight grin. She pulled the picture out, gave it to the nice man and with in moments she saw her mother not too far from where they were standing._

**"MAMA!!!!"** Rayanna screamed rubbing her eyes but when she woke up she was no long the scared five year old child running around the store, lost but a twenty something angry woman who had failed to save the grandmother she had never gotten to know lying in an unfamiliar bed. A second later, she felt a hand on her bare shoulder.

"Kory?" Viper asked still not all the way awake and trying to shake off the feeling of being lost but not being so successful.

"Veil's out in the living room." Came Armie's voice, which completely woke Vip up, "I can get her and leave you too alone if you want."

"No Armies. Please stay. I just thought you were him." Viper said trying not to sound disappointed that Armies had been the one sitting by her bed and not Veil but she knew that there had to have been a reason for it. A few moments past and as Viper sat up in the bed she said, "I didn't save her did I."

"No." Armies said softly, "But you tried your best." Armies didn't really know how to tell Viper that she had not done what she had wantedbut he figured the truth would be the best thing to say.

"Why couldn't I save her?" Viper asked. She had saved countless friends from death from a range of different types or wounds. What was so different about this time? By all rights, her empathy should have worked. Why didn't it?

"Sanna says that it was because it was her time to go and the viper ancestors would stop at nothing to get her with them." Armies said but knew his friend did not agree with what her aunt has said, when she stood to her feet. He saw a look of anger upon her face and wasn't sure who she was angry with. Herself for not being able to save her grandmother or him for stopping her.

"No, Armies. She was murdered." Viper said looking around the room when something on the serpent decorated desk caught her eye. She walked to it and saw a picture of her mother, Sanna and who she assumed was her uncle, in a beautifully decorated frame. She picked it up and simply stared at her mother. Oh how she missed her. She remembered the day her mother died like it was yesterday. Viper had come home from elementary school to an empty house, which was unusual because her mother was always there. She called her dad and he left work to come home and search for his wife. They found her car on the side of the road with her body several feet from the car. The first thing Viper noticed about her mother was not the blood that ran down her face or her broken arms but her viper skin. Viper didn't find this out until years later that her mother's fake apperence watch had some how busted and because of this someone tried to kill her, and succeded because of how she looked. This still angered Viper to this day because there was no one to blame. No one to put behind bars, no one to yell at.

"Is that your mother?" Armies asked brining Viper out of her thoughts of her mother's death.

"Yea." Viper said, "She was something else."

"You miss her?"

Viper simply nodded her head holding back tears and when she knew she could speak again with out crying further she said, "Very much but no time for that now."

"What are you talking about?" Armies asked as Viper walked out of the room and headed to find Sanna and Armies. She really had no idea where she was going but she soon came across the living room and saw Veil speaking with Sanna. Not sure what they were talking about but that didn't matter because Viper was about to change the subject.

"Rayanna, I see you……"

"Sanna, Pennae was murdered." Viper said cutting her aunt off quickly.

"What?" Veil asked.

"Rayanna, my mother was very old and she……"

"Told me she was murdered Sanna!" Rayanna said cutting off Sanna once more. Sanna's posture changed from one of defense to one of listening and when Viper saw this change she continued. "She said somehow someone poisoned her."

"By someone you my Tyron?" Sanna asked and Viper nodded her head, "What do you propose we do?"

"No one announce Pennae's death. That will only give Tyron reason to gain the thrown sooner."

"Little problem with that." Armies said.

"What?" Viper asked.

"We kind of all ready did."

"We meaning who exactly?" Viper asked wanting to know if Sanna had been the one to make the announcement.

"We meaning Takal." Sanna said.

"Who is he?" Viper asked for she had never heard that name before.

"He is in charge of announcing events or activites that have or are going to occur."

"Could you have not gotten to him before he announce Pennae's death?" Viper asked.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because, Rayanna, Takal is on Tyron's side. He made the announcement to get word to tyron so that he could claim the throne."

"Sanna," Veil asked folding his arms, "Where is Tyron? You speak as if he is far away."

"He is. He is traveling across Malous searching for the Viper Krystal of the ancestors.

"The Viper Krystal?" Armies asked, "Sounds like something out of a comic book if you ask me."

"Comic book?" Sanna asked not sure what the tiny controller meant.

"Um…a book of stories." Armies said trying to explain using words that Sanna would understand, "What is the Viper Krystal?"

"It's a myth." Viper said shocking Veil and Armies, "It is a Krystal that is told of with in the stories that children are told by their parents."

"So you know of the stories then?" Sanna asked.

"Yes." Viper replied nodding her head, "Mama would always tell them to me before I went to bed. I remember one of the Krystal. The man went out in search of it but found love instead. The Krystal is a myth is it not?"

"More of less." Sanna said, "I believe, as well as most others, the Krystal is a myth and only exist in the stories but Tyron does not. The Krystal in the story holds all the magic of the vipers and the one who touches it is granted all the power with in the Krystal."

"Tyron wants this?" Veil asked trying to put two and two together.

"Yes. He intends to find the Krystal and use it for evil ends I'm afraid. His years of searching for it are what have corrupted him and will kill him if he does not stop just like it killed his father."

"Your not worried that this Krystal is real in the least bit?" Armies asked, "What if its real and he finds it?"

"Then," Sanna said, "Malous will be in greater danger than anyone could have possible imaged."

There was silence for a few moments as Sanna let what she had just said sink into the heads of her three guest. Viper knew that if the Krystal was indeed real, and her corrupted cousin got a hold of it, it wouldn't matter who was sitting on the throne because by the next sun rise, Malous and every living thing on it, would be dead but Viper was not about to let this happen.

"So what do we do?" Viper asked breaking the silence.

"At the moment, we are going to a meeting to tell the ones loyal to you that you have arrived and will take the throne form your cousin. As for the long term, I don't know but I trust that you will come up with something." Sanna said as she gathered a few trench coats and a hoods to keep them hidden from watching eyes and handed them to Rayanna and her friends. "Put these on and then follow me but you must stay close."

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Please review 


	8. Chapter 8

**_A/N: Sorry It has taken me forever to update but I've been stuck kinda of and been busy with school. I hope you like this chapter._**

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chapter eight

The night was thick like hatred and as still as the skeletons with in their graves as Sanna lead the way down the dead silent street. They moved so carefully for Sanna knew all would be lost should the guards, loyal to Tyron, find out not only about the meeting but about the first born rightful half viper heiress.

Veil and Armies walked in front and behind Viper to protector her should anything happen. Viper, however found this very annoying because she could handle herself but no one seemed to be listening to her.

Sanna quickly knocked on a tall dark wooden door and a second later a eye slight was opened.

"Password." Came a deep rugged voice.

"Tal flies among the night stars." Sanna replied shocking Viper.

"Who's Tal?" Armies whispered from behind Viper as he watched behind hom for anyone suspicious.

"My mother." Viper replied in the same low whisper that armies has used as Sanna motioned from them to follow her into the little home.

Upon walking into the home, the three earthlings were shocked to find at least a dozen vipers awaiting the start of the meeting but they did not look like Sanna, who was huminoid by description alone. These vipers were actual snakes with tails, hissing fork tounges and various rich eye color.

"Sanna," Viper said as they walked to the front of the room where Sanna would conduct the meeting, "Why do they not look like you?"

"They are in their "true form"." Sanna replied, "This is what the vipers really look like but through the years, our ancestors found ways through science as well as magic to give themselves, as well as ourselves, a secondary form that would allow them to blend in with people of other planets."

"Why aren't you in your true form?" Viper continued to ask.

"I'm most comfortable in this form, as was Tal. I suppose that's why she never told you of her form. She never used it."

"You don't have that form?" Armies whispered. He'd been whispering for so long that he , at the moment, was literally unable to speak normally.

"No," Viper said, "I'm only half viper."

"I can't imagine you looking any other way." Veil said causing Viper to smile and let out a small laugh. He had thought she had been upset that she did not have a "true form" but by the sound of her giggle, she didn't much care.

Sanna, standing behind a podium, cleared her throat and at that signal, every viper in the room transformed into their "secondary" form. Sanna then directed Veil and Armies to two chairs behind the podium while she had Viper stand next to her.

"Thank you all for coming." Sanna began, "As you all ready know, the empress has been taken by the ancestors and the minister has declared Tyron crowned Prince despite the Empress's wishes."

"Then all hope is lost!" Cam a voice from a young woman slightly older than Viper.

"Rekah," Sanna said calling the woman by name, "All is not lost. There is still hope." Sanna turned to her niece saying, "Take off your hood."

Viper simply listened to her aunt and removed her hood, revealing her half viper face but as soon as she did a small can came flying towards her and hit her in the arm.

"Go back where you came from, Mut!" Came an angry voice from the back of the room. Veil and Armies stood to their feet and Veils was going to go to Viper's side but she held a hand up to stop him.

"Who speaks?" Sanna asked after seeing that Rayanna was all right.

"Caln!" Came the voice as the man walked closer to the stage.

"Why are you here if you speak against Rayanna?" Sanna asked with a hiss in her voice standing beside the podium as well as in front of her niece.

"To get you to stop this madness Sanna!" Caln said as if there was a story between the two vipers and there very well may have been but Viper knew now was not the time to aske just what the story was.

"If I am mad for wanting to save me planet then so be it!"

"You are only going to get yourself killed and not to mention this half viper niece of yours."

"You have no fair in her." Sanna said as Caln climbed onto the stage causing Veil to move to Sanna's side. True, he did not fully trust Sanna anymore than he trusted Caln but if Rayanna was to take over the viper planet as ruler then they would need Sanna's help.

"Sanna, please." Caln asked softly, "I'm asking you to stop trying to over throw Tyron. Before it is too late."

Sanna listened to Caln as he spoke and by the tone of his voice she knew something had happened.

"Before it is too late?" Sanna asked and a split second later the door was busted down by royal viper guards.

"By the ancestors!" Sanna cried upon seeing the guards, "Caln, what have you done?"

"What is for the best." Caln said grabbing Sanna and attempting to take her away but before he could, Veil punched Caln in the face and forced him to fly off of the stage and slam into the wall. Upon seeing this, Viper summoned her spectral terror illusion, to keep some of the guards at bay while her, as well as Veil and Armies', Phantom Armies to take out the rest of the guards.

"Get these people out of here!!" Viper yelled at Veil and Armies as she blinded Caln when he transformed into his "true form" and was about to strike at Veil.

Free from Caln's grasp, Sanna jumped from the stage and onto a guard that was fighting with Rekah. She did all she could to the viper guard and finally she managed to get one up on him and took his sword and began to fight her way through the crowed. However, soon she became over powered and before she knew it someone had knocked her upside the head and she was out cold.

Upon seeing this, Veil yelled, "Armies, get Rayanna the hell out of here now!!!" Before Armies could respond to Veil's cry, Veil was suddenly surrounded by several guards and could not manage to fight his way out alone. Armies took one step towards Veil but was once more yelled at. "Armies, Sanna just got captured!! Get Vip out of here now before the same thing happens to her."

"What about you?" Armies asked fighting off a few guards himself, "She'll kill me if I make her leave you here."

"I'll be fine!! Her safety is what matters. She can not rule if she is dead!!" Veil said between blocks and swings. Armies sighed as he became invisible and then searched for Viper. He found her a few steps away beginning to take off towards the guards that had taken Sanna but before she could actually take off, Armies flew into the air, grabbed her around the waist and flew out the back door to safety.

"Get the hell off of me!!" Viper yelled and was about to blind who ever had her by the waist when she heard her small illusion controller friend's voice.

"Vip, its me!" He said standing in front of her holding his hands up as if he had been caught red handed with his hand in the cookie jar.

"What the hell did you do?!? Why the hell did you pull me out of there?" Vip asked with anger in her voice. Her aunt was in trouble and it was because of her.

"Veil told me to."

"And you pick now to start listening to him?" Viper asked still angry at what had happened. She hated the fact that Veil and everyone else was in there without her help. She felt that she had to be in there defending those she cared about regardless if they thought they could handle for themselves.

"Vip, you are no good to this planet if you are dead, captured or worse."

"Well I can't gain the thrown without Sanna's help now can I?" Viper said and before Armies could do anything to stop her, Viper flew back into the small home only to find her worst fear come true. The guards were gone as were most of the vipers who supported her, aside form the ones who had been killed in the process. But what horrified Viper the most was Veil's body laying on the floor in a puddle of blood. His face was swollen and black and blue all over.

"VEIL!!!" Viper screamed upon seeing him in that condition and running to him as fast as she could. She gently pulled his head into her lab, wrapped her arms around him and simply held him. As she did, she felt his blood leaving his body, passing through her fingers and, drop by drop, hitting the floor.

"Is he…..?" Armies asked coming into the room and finding his friend on the floor with tears coming down her face. Viper was never one to show her emotions plan and simple on her sleeve but on those rare occasions where she did, Armies knew it was serious. When Vip didn't answer his question he asked, "Can you heal him?"

"I don't know." Viper said, "But I'll try."

Viper closed her eyes, took a deep breath and began to heal her best friend. He had been with her through thick and thin ever since they met her freshman year of college. He had always looked out of her and she had always done the same for him. So there was no way in hell that she would ever let him die like this if she had anything to say about it. She would do everything with in her power to save him because she didn't know what she would do with out him. Sure she had Armies and he was great for goofing around with and making jokes but Viper had a serious side about her that Armies lacked but was gained in Veil. It was that side that she needed in someone because she knew she could tell him anything and he would listen. Not that Armies would but Veil seemed to understand mainly because he knew first hand, most of the time, what Viper was dealing with. It was these things that ran through her mind as she tried to heal him. She cared deeply for him and would not let him go without a fight.

Finally she opened her eyes, and saw him take a breath. She felt the blood no longer running and making a puddle on the floor drop by drop. His face was no longer swollen or black or blue but was his perfect slider face. Relived that he was at least alive, Viper ran her fingers down his face and held him once more.

Suddenly, the back door opened and as the person came around the corner Armies pulled out his phantom army and prepared to do battle but before anything happened Viper stopped him when she saw who it was.

"I know who he is."

"You do?" Armies asked.

"Yes." Viper said not getting up. She was not going to leave Veil's side, not when he was not awake, "You were my grandmother's body guard, yes?"

"Yes Princess." He said bowing before Viper, which Armies thought was a little weird still.

"And by her order you are now mine?"

"Yes, Princess."

"What is your name?" Viper asked curiously.

"Tanon, Princess."

"Do you know of any place where we can stay?" Armies asked before Viper could.

"You may stay with me. No one will know you are there." Tanon said.

"Very well," Viper said as she called upon her own phantom army to pick up Veil and carry him to Tanon's place, "Lead the way."

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Please review 


	9. Chapter 9

_**A/N: Thanks for the review. Please enjoy. **_

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Viper stood on the balcony of Tanon's home thinking about the day's events and everything that has happened. She had lost a grandmother that she had never been given the chance to know to Tyron's poison. Then she lost Sanna to Tyron's guards and nearly lost Veil as well. She knew doing what Sanna wanted of her was going to be hard but this was nearly too much for her. 

"Princess." Came a soft voice followed by a warm scaly hand on her shoulder. At the voice reaching the half viper's ears, she jumped for she was not expecting anyone to check on her. But when she thought about it, she realized she hadn't thought Tanon would be the one to check on her.

"I'm sorry." Tanon said as Viper turned around, "I did not mean to scare you."

"It's all right." Viper said, "Please don't call me Princess."

Confused Tanon asked, "Is that not your title?"

"Yes," Viper continued, "but I was not raised as one."

"What shall I call you then?"

"How about my name? Rayanna." Viper said with a slight smile."As you wish Prin….Rayanna." Tanon said careful not to use Rayanna's title. Silence filled the air for a few moments as the two simply looked at each other for the longest time. Viper noticed how Tanon's eyes were a rich blue rather than the blood ruby red that colored her eyes. His skin was a darker shade of gray and had scales all over his face rather than just a "crown" of scales right above the eyebrows. 

Suddenly, Tanon moved in and placed a gental kiss on Rayanna's lips. Immediately she stiffened and pushed him back. This was not a typical greeting that she was used to and she wasn't sure if it was a typical greeting of the vipers or not but even if it was, it was most certinatly miss placed.

"What are you doing?" Viper asked backed up against the stone balcony with one hand on Tanon's chest keeping the desiered distance between them. Secretly, Viper had hoped that Armies had not seen what had just happened. She knew that if he had, she would never hear the end of it and would most defiantly never be left alone with Tanon, or any other man, viper or human, ever again.

"I'm sorry, Rayanna." Tanon said backing up to give Rayanna space, "that is how viper's say hello. I did not mean to offend you in any way."

Viper simply nodded her head and spoke as she turned to the view of the quiet viper kingdom. "I said before I was not raised a princess. Well I wasn't raised a viper either. I'm more human than anything else and probably will always be that way."

Tanon moved to her side and said, "I understand."

"Sanna was going to help me better understand this half of myself so that I could better rule but that was before she was captured. Without her, I don't think I can do much of anything now."

"I could help you." Tanon said without thinking and when Rayanna had a confused look on her face he continued, "I mean I could help you understand the culture. That way, if a male viper came up to you, you would not push him away when he said hello the viper way."

"You know," Viper said with a smile, "I think I'd like that."

"Good."

* * *

**_Meanwhile, inside:_**

Armies sat next to Veil, who was still out from the event earlier, watching Viper from the living room when Tanon suddenly appered on the balcony. Armies didn't know how the viper got out there with Viper but he wasn't too sure he liked them being alonr. He trusted Viper but as any brother would, he didn't trust Tanon's intentions.

"Where's Vip?" Veil's voice suddenly asked.

"Hey man." Armies said ignoring Tanon for a moment to see how his friend was doing.

"Where is Vip? Is she all right?"

"Relax, she is on the balcony. She's worried about you. You should have seen her heal you. Such determination."

Veil sank into the sofa and then looked to the balcony to find Viper but she was not alone. "Who's he?" Veil asked sitting up once more and attempting to get up and go to her side but he was stopped by his lack of strength and by Armies forcing him back to the sofa.

"Slow down there tiger." The small controller said with a smile, "She ain't in any danger."

"You sure?"

"Would I let her do something that was gonna hurt her?" Armies asked.

"Guess not." Veil said taking a deep breath and then said, "Still didn't tell me who he is."

"His name is Tanon and he is Viper's personal body guard."

"He's a guard? Like the ones attacked us?"

"He was the emperess's guard until she died."

"I don't want her alone with him."

"why?" Armies asked as they were watching Viper on the balcony when suddenly they saw Tanon move in for a kiss.

"That's why!" Veil said attempting to get up but of course failing. "He's completely making moves on her! I don't trust him. He's a viper."

"So is Magik." Armies said and the added, "About her being a viper not about her making moves."

"I've got to go out there!" Veil said using all is strength to swing his feet over the side of the sofa and completely sit up.

"Will you give her a chance? Huh?" Armies asked, "Cause by the looks of it she is telling him to back off. Besides, you haven't even begun to gather your endurance back. Vip saved you from dying but you are in no shape to do anything."

"Do I look like I care?"

"About Viper? Yes. Very much in fact but about you? Obviously not. Veil, Vip has a good head on her shoulders." Armies said standing to his feet and headed to the balcony.

"Where you going?"

"To check on Viper for you."

Veil creaked a smile as he laid down, " What happened to 'Vip has a good head on her shoulders?'"

"All went out the window moment he kissed her. I was just saying that to keep you on that sofa."

"Thank you Armies." Veil said with a smile as he tried to relax again.

"Yea. What are friends for?" Armies said opening the see through glass type door and not wanting to walk into something, he said, "Am I interrupting anything?"

Both Viper and Tanon turned to face Armies and Vip said, "No not at all."

"I'll let you two talk." Tanon said and then grasped Rayanna's hand slightly and said, "We can start tomorrow."

Viper nodded and as soon as Tanon left Armies asked, "Start what tomorrow?"

"Oh, its nothing." Viper said.

"That kiss didn't look like nothing."

_Crap._ Viper though.

"You saw that huh?"

"Yea. Me and Veil both."

_Double crap. _Viper thought. The last person that she wanted to have seen that was Veil. True Armies would tease her about it for awhile but she was afraid that Veil would become all defensive like he had done in the past.

"So, what was that all about?" Armies asked sitting on the stone balcony wall cross legged, "I mean you just met the guy. You can't like him that much all ready can you?"

"No. It wasn't anything like that. He was just being familiar the viper way."

"Familiar?"

"Yea, apparently vipers have more casual contact with each other than humans are."

"I could have told you that when we got here." Armies said sarcastically getting a laugh out of his friend.

"So you said Veil was awake? Is he okay?" Viper asked changing the subject as fast as she could.

"Yea. He's fine." Armies said and then after a moment added, "You okay Vip?"

"Yes Armies." Viper said sitting on the ledge of the balcony, "I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" Armies asked sitting next to Viper, legs dangling over the edge.

"Are you asking for you or for Veil?"

"Both." Armies admitted. He wanted to make sure she was all right for himself but he had told Veil he'd check on Vip and that's what he was doing.

"Just overwhelmed I suppose." Viper replied, "first I fail to save my grandmother and then find you that Tyron has all ready been named crowned prince. We still need to fine the Krystal before Tyron and on top of that we need to save Sanna!"

"You wanna go after the Krystal?" Armies asked. This was the first time Viper had ever even suggested going on the same quest as the cortrupted crowned prince.

"Don't we have to?" Viper asked, "I mean you heard Sanna. If Tyron gets his hands on that Krystal, Malous will be doomed. Its up to me to find it."

"You are not alone." Came a strong gental voice from behind the two controllers. Viper spun around to see Veil standing and looking rather well save for the lack of strength with in his face. She knew Veil was still tired but he was not about to admit it.

"You should be resting." Viper said gently as she walked over Veil just incase he needed to lean on her to stand. "You had a nasty spill. You need to save your strength."

"I'll be fine. I can't let you go gallivanting across the planet searching for this Krystal and I'm sure as hell am not going to let you save Sanna alone."

"You know I can take care of myself, Veil."

"Yes but you shouldn't have to." Veil said trying not to yell, "Armies and I are here to help you Vip. Please just let us."

Viper knew Veil was right but she couldn't stand to see either of them get hurt. She felt the same way about Veil that he did about her. Neither wanted to see the other harmed.

"Okay. Fine." Viper said, "Tanon and I will go after Sanna while you two can go after the Krystal."

"Um…Vip." Armies said speaking up before Veil could.

"Yes Armies?"

"Is it such a good idea for you to go to the palace?"

"What do you mean?" Viper asked crossing her arms as she looked at her friend.

"That's like the perfect place that the guards will look for you to be. Besides, isn't Tyron suppose to be back at the palace tomorrow?" Armies said trying to reorganize the arrangements with out hurting Viper's feelings. "What if you and I went after the Krystal while Tanon and Veil went to the palace to save Sanna. Afterwards, we can regroup and take down Tyron. All four….five of us." Armies said counting on his fingers.

Viper thought for a moment or two thinking about what Veil had said and realized that he was right about her going to the palace. As much as she wanted to get Tyron for what he did to their grandmother, she knew that if she wanted to get Sanna back, the best way to do that would be to let someone else do it.

"Fair enough." She said, "We start in the morning. Right now, I'm going to bed. See you boys in the morning."

"Night Viper." Armies said.

"Good night Lady." Veil said and when she was gone he turned to Armies and said, "Thank you."

"For what?" Armies asked.

"For paring me with Tanon." Veil said, "I know why you did it and thank you."

"Yea well you would have done the same had our positions been reversed." Armies said, "and your welcome all the same."

Veil nodded his head and for the first time he realized just how tired he really was and so he and Armies headed back into the house to catch up on their well deserved sleep that would prepare them for the upcoming adventure.

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Please review. 


	10. Chapter 10

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After Tanon left the balcony, he walked in to his room ,that simply had a single bed and dresser with a mirror upon it, and stood in front of his dresser starring into the mirror. He opened the top drawer and pressed the green button that was underneath his clothes. Instantly, the mirror spun around and became a visual communicator and a second later a male viper appered on the screen.

"Report." Said the man who wore royal robes and a small crown upon his head.

"Everything is going a planned, Prince Tyron." Tanon said trying to keep his voice down should anyone be passing by his bed room door.

"Perfect." Tyron said with an evil voice, "You are bringing her to the cave tomorrow then?"

"Yes, my lord." Tanon said, "We will be there as planned. Nothing shall stand in your way of becoming Emperor, my lord."

"Good." Tyron said, "That's all for now."

Tanon nodded his head, pressed the green button once more and hung up with Tyron. He knew his mission and he knew what had to be done and if it was the last thing he did, he would get it done. Knowing that, Tanon changed into his nightwear and climbed into bed.

* * *

_**At the Palace:**_

Sanna sat in her cell with her knees to her chest, praying that Rayanna and her friends were all right. She has faith in her niece that she would be able to rescue her from this prison but it would take time. Time for a plan to be formed and for Rayanna to realize that she did not need Sanna there to tell her what the next move needed to be. Being that she was the only one in the cell, all Sanna could do was think. Think about Rayanna. Think about the attack and how it panned out and then her mind shifted to Caln. Why had he been there?

He said that he was trying to stop her and the way that he said it, reminded her of years ago. The way he used to talk to her as if she was the only one in his whole world that really mattered to him. But if that were so, why had he left?

Before she could even begin to think of the answer to her unanswered question, the door to the room opened and her breath was taken away by the sight of the man who still had her heart. Sanna stood to her feet and walked to the bars and simply looked at him.

"I'm sorry it had to turn out this way, Sanna." He said softly as he gently placed his hand on Sanna's scaly face, until she pulled away from his touch. He lowered his head for a moment because he knew why she had moved away and he didn't blame her.

"I am very sorry that I hurt you, Sanna."

"Are you Caln?" Sanna asked crossing her arms.

"Yes."

"Are you saying that because you really and truly are sorry for what happened years ago or are you only saying that because I'm behind bars and you have no comforting words expect to say that you are sorry?"

Caln was silent for a moment but that was answer enough for Sanna.

"I thought as much." Sanna said sitting on the bench on the back wall, trying to ignore the man she once loved.

"Sanna, please is there any way that I can convince you that Rayanna is not the answer?"

"She is my niece Caln!" Sanna said standing to her feet, "You expect me to simply abandoned her after I am the one who sumonded her here?!? I will not do that, not even for you!?!!"

Sanna fell quiet once more and when Caln knew she would not say anything further on the matter he simply, said, "I loved you once. Part of me still does. Perhaps that is why I am trying to save you now."

"Save me?" Sanna said standing to her feet and walking over to bars once more so that she could look Caln in the face, "Like you 'saved me' from the evil side of being a ruler. You are the one who convinced me to abdicate my throne! You are the one that told me that we could be happy together! You are the one who left me!!!"

By this time Sanna's face was wet from tears of bringing up the past, and then she added, "As far as I am concerned, this whole mess is your fault!"

"My fault?"

"Yes! If you had not convinced me to abdicate, I would be ruler now and would have named Rayanna my heiress if I had no children! We would not be in this mess that you have created!"

"Sanna, please listen to me." Caln said gently, "I have my reasons for doing what I did when we were young and believe me when I say that not a day goes by where I don't think about that day. I regret doing it. I regret not having you in my life and that's why I do what I do now. This is for the best, Sanna."

Caln placed a small kiss on Sanna's hand and with that he left the room to leave Sanna to the dark quiet of the room and her swarming thoughts.

* * *

The next morning, Veil was the first one up. He had slept all through the night but since he had actually rested before going to bed, his strength had finally returned and he was ready for anything. Well nearly anything. The one thing he was not prepared for was what he saw when he walked into the kitchen. From where he stood, he got a perfect view of Viper and Tanon cuddling on the sofa. He nearly lost it. Why on earth was Magik in the arms of a viper she had just met the night before? The kiss was one thing but this was way too much. Veil didn't trust him. Heck, Veil didn't trust any of the vipers seeing as how they had abandoned Viper when she needed them. Perhaps he was being too hard on them as but, with the exception of Sanna, he didn't see any reason for him to really trust them. The only reason he was even going along with all this was because Viper wanted to and that was reason enough. 

About that time, Armies walked into the living room and stopped in his tracks in the door way. He looked from the sofa to Veil and then back to the sofa and once more to Veil. His eyes said the same thing that Veil was repeating over and over in his head: What the hell?

"Wha….Wha…?" Armies asked walking over to Veil.

"I know." Veil said and then cleared his throat but neither Tanon nor Viper moved. Armies smiled and tried not to laugh. Veil looked at his friend and said, "What are you laughing at?"

"You." Armies whispered.

"What?"

"That's not how you wake someone up." Armies said walking into the kitchen, opening the triangle shaped cabinets and then pulling out all sorts of metallic pots and pans of different shapes and sizes and dropping them to the floor.

Viper jumped to her feet as Tanon fell off of the sofa from the sudden movement. It was then that Veil actually got a good look at Viper and what she was wearing or rather, wasn't wearing. Most women would wear some sort of night gown to sleep in but instead of the typical gown that was custom to human females, Viper wore a metal like outfit that did not leave much to the imagination. When she was fully awake she looked at what she was wearing and realized that Veil was staring at her. Immediantly feeling embaressed, Viper flew out of the room to her bedroom.

"Wow." Armies said but then received a nasty glare from Veil and said, "What?"

"Don't say a word." Veil said in an angry voice. He looked from Armies to Tanon but with a harder glare and when no one said anything Armies said, "I think I'm going to go check on Vip." Armies said flying out of the room to check on his friend.

"Is there something I can do for you Veil Allegory?" Tanon asked folding his arms glaring evenly at Veil.

"You can stay the hell away from Rayanna." Veil said with a low growl that he only used when he was protecting Viper or when he was really really angry, which hardly eve happened. In this case the growl could be explained with both.

"And why should I?" Tanon asked, "Is she yours? Armies'? Or are you just flat out jealous that I can get close to her and you can't?"

Veil didn't say anything for a moment. He was trying hard not to loose his control over his temper but Tanon was not making it any easier for him. "You listen, boy, and you listen good! Rayanna is someone that deserves all the respect in the world! She does not belong to you or Armies or even me but herself! She is her own person and will be treated as such!"

"You really should stop treating Rayanna like a child and see her for the woman that she is. The every….how would you say…..sexual…"

That was it. Veil had had enough of this disrespect for Viper and so he did the only think he could to shut the male viper up and put him in his place.

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	11. Chapter 11

Armies flew into the hall where Viper's room was and knocked on the door, "You decent?"

"Yea, come in Armies." Viper replied as Armies opened the door and closed in behind him. Viper had changed into her leather pants and red tub top and was sitting on her bed simply starring at the bare wall.

"You all right?" Armies asked.

"Yea." Viper said as Armies sat next to her.

"Come on, don't give me that."

"What?" Viper asked.

"Your telling me that your fine to stop me from prying any further. You don't want me to see that your upset."

"Armies, I…." Viper began but when she looked her friend in the eyes, she knew he was right. She was embarrassed that Veil had seen her dressed the way she was and in Tanon's arms. Before she could say anything further they both heard something or someone fall to the floor.

_Crap!!_ Viper thought to herself. The last thing she needed was Veil and Tanon trying to take each other out. Instantly, Viper and Armies ran out of the door, into the living room and found Tanon on the floor holding his face and Veil looking down at him with a bloody fist.

"What the hell is going on?" Viper asked.

"Veil, you started the party with out me?" Armies asked, "You know I wanted a piece of this guy just as much as you."

Armies then received a glare from not only Viper but Veil as well. He realized that his sarcasum, typically encouraged by Viper's wit, was not needed at that moment. So he walked over to Tanon, who had picked himself up and said, "Why don't we go get that face cleaned up, hum?"

When Armies and Tanon left the room Viper, glaring at Veil angrily simply walked out onto the balcony and waited for Veil to follow, which he did. There was silence between the two for a moment because neither one knew exactly what to say. Veil knew that Viper wanted an explanation but the one that he had , he didn't think was good enough.

"Vip, I…." Veil began but was cut off by Viper spinning around on her heels, glaring at veil and saying, "What the hell happened? You got into a fight with my personal body guard?"

"I'm sorry Viper but he was disrespecting your honor!"

"This is about my honor?" Viper asked.

"That and more." Veil said, "You just met the guy not even a full day ago and you are all ready sleeping with him?"

"What are you talking about?" Viper asked and then asked, "You think I slept with him?"

"Considering what you were wearing and the way I found you this morning, it seems the only answer but it doesn't make sence. You would never have done anything like that on earth. Heck, when we met it took you at least a week to even give me your real name. Why are you trusting him so soon?"

"Veil," Viper said, "Please believe me when I tell you that nothing happened between me and Tanon last night. I got up last night because I couldn't sleep and was going to lay on the sofa but Tanon was all ready there. Seeing as how he was going to start teaching me on how to acted like a viper he suggested that I join him on the sofa because vipers are more physical than humans are."

"But why him?" Veil asked.

"Because he's the only male viper I can trust."

"But how do you know that you can trust him? You just met the guy."

"I just do! Okay?"

"No it's not okay!" Veil said suddenly straightening his posture.

"What?"

"Vip, on earth you never would have acted this way!"

"This way?" Viper asked, "What way am I acting Veil Allegory?" It was then that he knew the he had angered the woman he cared for most in all the universe because she used his whole codename. Only when she did that did she truly mean business with him.

"You are practically throwing yourself at a mean that you just met! You don't know anything about him. Your wearing clothes that you would never have worn in a million years had we never come here!"

"What are you saying?" Viper asked confused slightly. She knew Veil was trying to get at something but he wasn't completely saying.

"I'm saying I miss the old Magik Viper. This new one is the exact opposet of her."

"Well maybe I like the new Viper." Viper said swishing her long pony tail from side to side. Which only aggravated Veil more. "Besides who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do?" Viper asked as she was about to walk off into the house but was stopped when Veil spoke.

"I am your friend and I only care about your safty."

"Veil, I've told you time and time again that I can take care of myself. I appreciate your concern but this time back off." Viper said looking at her long time friend with her hard red eyes. A look she had never use don him till now. She saw Veil literally back up but he did not remain silante.

"You don't need to get involved with him."

"Involved with him? Veil I told you, nothing happened! And now your sounding like my father!"

"At least one of us sounds like an adult!"

"Veil…." Viper said, "You know what? I'm done."

"What?"

"You heard me!"Viper said as she threw her com-link down at Veil's feet, " I'm done with this! I'm done arguing!" Viper said walking back into the room and upon Tanon and Armies walking back into the room, Viper grabbed her hooded trench coat and said, "Tanon and I are going to go look for the Krystal while you get Sanna back. Armies, I will send Tanon to you when we have found something. Got it?"

Armies simply nodded his head. Viper was about to leave when Veil gently but firmly grabbed Viper's wrist and said, "Please don't do this!"

Pulling he wrist free of his grasp, Viper glared at Veil, the man she cared for most in the world and said, "I can take care of myself!" and then walked out of the door with Tanon right behind her.

For a moment, Veil simply stared at the closed door that had been slammed in his face. That was until Armies said, "You two talk?"

"She ain't coming back, Armies." Veil said walking back to the balcony and picking up Viper's com-link that she had thrown at him.

"What are you talking about, man? Of course she'll be back. She still needs Sanna."

"Did you not hear her?" Veil asked, "She is going to send Tanon to talk to you when they find the Krystal and we get Sanna back! If she was coming back, she wouldn't have said that."

"How can you be sure?" Armies asked, "I mean how can you tell?"

"She left her com-link, Armies." Veil said sadly, "Besides, I know her and that's all that matters."


	12. Chapter 12

**_A/N: Sorry It has taken me forever to update but I've been stuck kinda of and been busy with school. I hope you like this chapter._**

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Sitting in her cell, she knew she would have to do something to get out. She would not just sit by and allow Tyron a free shot at Rayanna. Not that Rayanna would allow Tyron to have a free shot at her but the Halfling would have a better time hiding if she was by her side. Caln had come into the room earlier to try and convince her to stop trying to over throw Tyron but he knew she wouldn't. She was still as hard headed and stubborn as she was the day the two met and would not be fooled by his charm and good looks a second time around. 

Sanna reached down into her left boot and pulled out a small dagger that whoever had searched her for weapons had missed. She kept it on her in case of emergencies and apparently the guards were stupid enough not to completely check her.

She walked over to the lock and proceded to pick it. It took her a few moments but she managed to get it. Rushing out of the room, she was greeted by two guards, who were suppose to be making sure she stayed put. Obviously, they weren't doing their job.

"Hey you…" The guard said but then Sanna punched him in the face and then once below the belt. The second guard, grabbed her wrist and kicked her in the gut but she managed to flip herself over the guard, grabbed his gun and shot him once in the back of the leg. Both the guards went down without much of a fight but she knew that if she didn't move fast then she wouldn't be so lucky the second time around.

She moved as fast as she could through the palace, searching for the painting that was in front of the passage way that would lead to her home. As she ran down the hallways and turned different corners, the alarm sounded, which meant she had run out of time. If she was going to escape without having to fight any further, then she would have to do it now. She made one final turn and just as she had the painting in her sights she heard the cocking of guns and a familiar voice.

"Don't move Sanna."

She turned around and saw Caln in front of a few guards. There were actually only two viper guards. The other six were Phantom Army guards created by the two viper guards. Sanna thought it funny that they considered her a real threat, even if she didn't have any powers.

"Caln," Sanna said backing up towards the painting on the wall to her right, "I'm going to Rayanna."

"Sanna, don't make me do this! Don't take another step!" he threatened but Sanna wasn't so sure he would pull the trigger because if he would have done it then he would have done it long before now. Any other guard would have shot her upon sight.

"I've told you what I must do. You do what you have to." Sanna said completely turning her back on Caln and opeing the passage way and then without looking at him said, "If you still love me, you'll let me go."

"Sir?" said one of the guards, "She's getting away."

"I know. Let her go." Caln said as the door shut behind Sanna.

"Sir?" Asked the other guard. "But she will..."

"You heard me! Let her go!" Caln yelled at two of the officers in his command, "For no reason are you to go after her again, is that clear?"

"Yes sir." The two viper men said lowering their guns and recalling their phantom armies and returning to their stations. Leaving Caln to think about what he had just done and what would happen to him should Tyron ever find out.

* * *

Silence filled the air as Tanon and Viper flew thyrew the skies unnoticed. It had been at least an housr since the two had left Veil and Armies and neither of them has said a word. As the two continued to fly through the skies, the silence became unbareable and so finally Tanon broke it. 

"Are you not afraid of being seen?"

"No," Viper said simply, "I've made myself invisible. Unless you have stealth capability, it apperes that you are flying alone."

Viper then looked to the ground below and when she saw nothing but desert she said, "Lets land and begin our search."

"Rayanna, do you really, think we will find this Krystal? I mean your uncle and Tyron have both searched for it for yeas. What makes you think we will be the ones to find it?"

"I don't know but I have to at least try." Viper said looking around not sure where to start until Tanon said, "Why don't we try looking in that cave over there?"

Before Viper could say anything, Tanon has all ready taken to the air and flown the short distance to the mouth of the cave. She walked the distance to the cave all the while wondering why there was a cave in the middle of the desert. To her it didn't make a lot of sence but perhaps desert caves were not uncommon on this planet.

"What makes you think the Krystal is in there?" Viper asked curiously. She wondered if Tanon knew something she didn't but then dismissed the thought all together.

"I don't know." He said but its at least worth a shot. I mean it is a starting point right?"

"I guess." She said and just when she was about to go in, Tanon grabbed her hand and placed something around her wrist. Quickly she spun around tpo face him and then saw the most breath taking jewled braclet.

"What is this?"

"Oh it's a braclet that your grandmother left you."

"And you pick now to give it to me?"

"I forgot to do it earlier. Bessides, it's a good luck charm." Tanon said with a smile gently grasping Viper's hand for a moment and then letting it go once more.

"Thank you." Viper said placing a kiss on Tanons' cheek.

"What was that for?" Tanon asked still smiling.

"For just being my friend. For showing my how to acted with other vipers."

"Well you are most welcome."Tanon said laughing slightly and then walking into the mouth of the cave with Viper right behind him. The cave was dark but that didn't bother either of the vipers seeing as how their eyes were made to see clearly in the dark. They walking in silence for awhile until Tanon said, "Your friend really knows how to throw a punch."

"That he does." Viper said and then asked, "What did you say to get him so angry to do that?"

"Nothing." Tanon lied, "I just said that you were your own person and deserved respect and the next thinkg I knew, I was eating his fist for breakfast."

"See that doesn't sound like Veil."

"Really?" Tanon asked, "He's not always shadowing you?"

"If you mean protecting me, he is but he means well."

"But you can handle yourself."

"Yea but I shouldn't….have to." Viper said realizing why Veil was always trying to make sure she was safe and didn't have to defend herself. She suddenly felt horrable for yelling at him. She still didn't agree with everything he said but that didn't excuse her behavior.

"Hey, Rayanna." Tanon said bringing her out of her thoughts, "Why don't you go down this tunnel and I'll go down the other?" Tanon asked when they came to a fork in the cave. Viper thought for a few moments. They would cover more ground that way but if they were to run into trouble, their defense would be cut in half, however Viper didn't see much choice in the matter.

"Fine." She said going down the left tunnel, but should you need me, yell."

"Understood." Tanon said going down the right tunnel.

AS Viper walked down the tunnel, she couldn't help but feel that something was wrong. She didn't know if Veil and Armies were in trouble or if it was she who would soon have to fight for her life but either way she couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.

Out of pure reflex, Viper reached to her ear to contact Armies but remembered that she had thrown her com-link at Veil before she left. She was growing tired of searching and coming up with nothing. Her eyes were even growing weary of seeing no light. Viper had always hated caves. They made her feel as if they could cave in on her at any moment and barry her alive. As Viper was about to turn a corner she heard Tanon's voice.

"RAYANNA!!!"

Her first instinct was to take to the air and fly to Tanon but upon seeing how low the cave ceiling actually was, she simply ran as fast as she could. Following Tanon's voice she finally found him on the cave floor.

"Are you all right?" She asked walking ot him but he did not answer. Instead a voice that Rayanna had never heard spoke.

"If it isn't the Mut Princess herself."

Immediantly, Rayanna knew why she'd had that bad feeling. There, before her, stood a tall male viper, in his second form, wearing clothes that should only have been worn by the Emporer. In the middle of his chest was a red crystal that was attached to his cape, holding it to his shirt. At first Viper didn't think anything of it but then she began to think that this crystal very well could have been the Krystal she was searching for.

"Tyron." Viper said standing to her feet slowly.

"Rayanna." He said just as evenly.

"Tanon," Viper said, "Get out of here while you can. I will handle Tyron."

Tanon was about to object but he looked at Tyron who simply nodded slightly. Being that this was his signal to leave, Tanon got up and ran "for his life". As soon as he was gone, Viper said, "What the hell are you doing here, Tyron?"

"I could ask you the same thing." Tyron said with a smile as he began to circle his cousin. "See this is my cave, Rayanna. I built it."

"It was a trap." Viper said speaking out loud to herself but her cousin couldn't help but laugh at how slow she was. Tanon had lead her here so that she could fall into Tyron's trap. Tyron was the very person she was trying to stay away from and yet Tanon, the one viper male she thought she could trust had betrayed her. She had revealed herself to him in a way that she would never have done to anyone else. All because she trusted him. Kory had been right. She shouldn't have trusted Tanon so blindly. How could she have been so stupid!

"Duh." Tyron said, "You actually believed that a full viper could love a Halfling like you? Of course you did. Its…what do your people say….it's human nature? Well as I was saying, dear cousin, this is my cave, my kingdom and my planet!" Tyron said as he through her across the cave with his kinetic magic powers. Viper hit the wall, fell to the floor and tried to use her powers to fight back but nothing happened. Again and again she tried to call upon her Phantom Army to defend her but nothing happened.

"Your realizing that your powers do not work." Tyron said as Viper picked herself up off the floor and looked at the braclet. That's why Tanon had been so eager to give her the emperesses' bracelet. Somehow they had made it to cancelle her powers.

"I don't need my powers to fight you Tyron." Viper said charging her cousin. She knew that he was more powerful not because of the Krystal but she at least had to try. She always had to try.

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Please review 


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: Thanks for the review. Please enjoy. **_

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As Armies and Veil walked the in the shadows of the viper kingdom, Armies could tell that Veil was worried about Viper. They both were but Veil was more so and Armies knew why. 

"Relax Veil." Armies said as he looked around the ally way for people who might be following them. "Viper is a big girl. She can handle herself."

"That's not the point!" Veil said with anger in his voice. He didn't mean to yell at Armies but he couldn't help it. Viper had left so angry with him that he feared that her head wasn't clear for her to make decisions of any sort. He knew that the viper race was a much more sexual race than the humans and that casual contact to a human was shaking hands but to a viper, casual contact was a gental kiss on the lips but he didn't have to like it. Veil remembered that Viper had been caught off guard when Tanon had kissed her when they had met for the first time a day ago but being on her home planet had changed Viper's behavior. She was truely acting like a viper and not the human that Veil knew she was and would always be.

Part of Veil's anxiety was caused by the fight he and Viper had had right before she ran off. He hated her being mad at him but he knew what she was doing was purely out of her viper instinct. He didn't think that Tanon could be trusted with a pet cat yet alone with Viper.

"Why are you so worried about her?" Armies asked. He asked the question even though he all ready knew the answer. He knew how Veil and Viper felt for each other even if they didn't know themselves. He always saw the way Veil looked at Viper when she was on a mission with them or the disappointment in Viper's voice when she realized Veil wasn't able to come on a mission with them because of a pervious commitment to another contact. Yes, Armies saw it all and it seemed that Veil may have just let the woman that he loved fall into the arms of another that neither of the male illusion controllers cared much for.

"Cause what if Tyron gets a hold of her?"

"She'll fight him off." Armies said simply and as he looked around he asked, "Where are we going?"

"To Sanna's."

"Why?" Armies asked as if he were a five year old who would ask why after every answer that was given to him.

"Because she has the secret passage way remember?" Veil said, "And we won't get caught cause you have us invisible right?"

Armies didn't say anything for a moment and when veil looked at him he said, "Now I do."

Veil simply sighed as he continued the conversation from before, "He's a viper Armies. Rayanna's powers come from the magic of the vipers. He's got the same power, maybe even more than she does. What if she can't handle him?"

"Veil, if she can't handle him, she'll call."

Veil simply shook his head as he said, "No, she won't." He pulled out Viper's com-link that she had thrown at him right before she took off with Tanon.

"That's her com." Armies said stating the obvious. "Why do you have it?'

"She threw it at me right before she left. I picked it up before you could see it." Veil said upon arriving at Sanna's home. "She doesn't want us to follow her. She doesn't want **_me_** to follow her or call or anything like that. She wants to be on her own."

"Veil, all ya gotta do is let her cool off." Armies said shutting the door behind them and dropping the invisibility, "So what's the plan?"

Veil was about to tell Armies what he thought when there was a knock at the door. Armies immediantly looked at Veil and said, "I swear I didn't see anyone follow us."

"Says the man who didn't hide us from plain sight." Veil said and was going to answer the door when Armies beat him to it. When he opened the door, a out-of-breath Tanon busted threw the door and said, "He's got Rayanna!"

Immediantly rage ran through Veil's body as he grabbed Tanon by the collar of his very thin shirt, pinned him up against the wall, yelling, **_"WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?"_**

Seeing that Tanon could not breath yet along tell Veil what he wanted to know, Armies attempted to stop his friend from killing Viper's, body guard.

"Veil!" Armies said as he couldn't think of anything else to do but to blind Veil so he couldn't harm Tanon any longer. Once Tanon hit the floor, Armies began to control the full viper so they could get the truth a lot faster.

"Damn it Armies!" Veil yelled holding his eyes as he felt around for a near by chair.

"You were killing Tanon."

"Good reason too!" Veil yelled, "He's the last person who saw Rayanna."

"All the more reason i had to stop you." Armies said noting how Veil had begun to call Viper by her birth name more and more, "I've got him under control, Veil. You care to talk to him?"

Veil couldn't see anything but that didn't matter because he would ask his questions from where he sat.

**"Who has Rayanna?"**

"Tyron." Tanon said causing anger to rise up with in Veil. Veil tried to calm himself enough to where he could continue to ask question with out attempting to throw the male viper through the wall.

**"How did he get her?"** Veil asked after a moment of silence, "**She was with you looking for the Krystal. Did you not...?"** Veil's voice grew louder in the anger but he was cut off but Tanon's monotone voice-a side effect of the mind control- saying, "I lead her to a cave where Tyron was hidding. It was a trap."

"Why would you set a trap?" Armies asked but Tanon did not answer for Veil beat him to it.

**"Because, Armies, Tanon works for Tyron. He's been in bed with the one person we've tried to keep Viper safe from the whole time we were here and we lead him right to her!" **Veil said standing to his feet and running a hand through his hair, **"Where is Tyron now?"**

"Headed to the palace!" Tanon said and a second later Veil flew out the door. Armies grabbed his own com-link and called Veil.

"Can you even see where you are going?" Armies asked.

**"No."** Veil said in his angry steel cold voice meant for evil dooers but at the moment, Veil could not change his tone of voice.

"Wouldn't the secret passage way be a lot easier?" Armies asked.

**"Not if I wanna intercept Tyron before he gets to the palace."  
**

"Veil, how are you going to do that if you can't even see?" Armies asked but was answered by Veil hanging up his com-link. Armies simply shook his head. He knew that if he had to Veil would travel to the end of the earth, blind, nearly dead, for the woman he loves.

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Please review. 


	14. Chapter 14

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When Viper woke up, she found herself in a dark, cold, damp, cell with a metal chain around her ankle. The last think she remembered was facing Tyron in the cave. She checked her body for scapes and cuts but found nothing except for a headache. Why had he left her with nothing more than a headache? 

"**Tyron!" **She yelled into the darkness beyond the cell. But there was no answer, "**Tyron, show yourself you evil basterd!"**

There was a moment of silence and just as Viper was about to yell for her evil cousin once more, a deep voice answered.

"Now, my dear cousin, there is no need for name calling." Tyron said revealing himself.

**"Why am I still alive?"** Viper asked. She knew he was going to kill her but was it now? Or would he force her to do something against her will before killing her?

"Because I do not believe it would be a fair fight out in the cave." Tyron said but Viper got the feeling he was lying. She looked past the bars, her eyes stinging with tears she was holding back, and into the dark black eyes of Tyron. Viper had read or heard somewhere that the eyes were the windows to the soul and for a moment she saw her cousin's soul. It sent chills through her spine to see how cold hearted he truly was. She had hoped to convince Tyron to leave the throne willingly but seeing what he was willing to do, she would have to think of another solution that didn't involve him.

Viper looked down at her wrist and noticed that the bracelet was gone. She attempted a phsyic scream on Tyron but it failed. She tryed to call upon her Phantom Army to come to her aid but nothing happened. What had he done to her?

"Your magic won't work on me, little cousin." Tyron said despite the fact that Viper was a few years older that he, "The braclet was simply a distraction of what was really taking away your powers."

"And what was that?"

"A toxin. It was released into your blood stream the moment, Tanon placed it on your wrist." Tyron said.

"A toxin?" Viper asked, "You mean the same toxin that killed our grandmother!?!"

"Not the same one but one similar to it." Tyron said, "And don't think I don't know what you are trying to do. You want me to admit that I killed her. That I did. I did kill her with the toxin so that I could take her throne but no one will ever believe you. Not even Sanna, our beloved aunt believed you, did she? "

"So you will kill me the same way you killed grandmother?"

"Not exactly." Tyron said, "With you, I will have a lot more pleaser in watching you die." Tyron said as he laughed and then left the room.

Viper's heart sank as she realized that there was no clear way out. Her magic was gone. Her com-link was with Veil thus giving her no way to contact him or Armies to tell them to rescue her. With the toxin in her blood stream and not way to cure it, she did not know how much longer she would be alive. She was alone and helpless, whishing she hadn't yelled at Veil before she left. She knew he was only trying to protect her but in that moment in time, he was simply being too damn annoying. She told him that she could handle herself but apparently not otherwise she wouldn't be in the cell with her demented cousin. Her heart and mind cried out for Veil to come in and save the day. For him to come and sweep her off her feet and tell her that everything will be all right. She needed him to be her Prince Charming but he didn't know where she was and nothing she could do was going to change that.

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Veil flew through the sky as fast as he could. Half-blind, he occasionally ran into buildings or trees that hadn't been there before. He wanted to kill Armies for blinding him like that and he didn't much care that Armies did the right thing by stopping him. All he cared about was Rayanna. 

He was doing it again. Calling her Rayanna and not Viper like normal. Why did he do it? Not that there was anything wrong with calling her by her birth name but he normally didn't. Then again Viper didn't normally fall head over heels for some guy she'd never met before.

Suddenly, Veil felt as if someone was calling out to him. The cry seemed desperate and felt as if it were coming from all directions. Still unable to see everything, Veil was at a loss as to what to do. So he did the only thing he could do: Listen. .

**_"Veil!!"_** Cried the voice, which did not seem to be crying out in pain btu helpless-ness. A feeling Veil currently felt but was trying to ignore. As he listened to the voice, his heart began to beat faster. It seemed his heart knew who the voice belonged to but his mind had yet to put two and two together to make four.

"Help me!!" Cried the voice once more.

_Could it be?_ He thought to himself.

"Viper!" Veil cried out loud as well as mentally in hopes that she would hear him and tell him where exactly to find her. A few moments passed with no answer. He prayed this was not a bad sign as to the state of her being.

His sight was slowly coming back. He could now make out shapes but the details of such shapes alluded him still. Upon seeing a rather large gray rectangle in front of him, he flew towards the ground to avoid the building. The closer to the ground Veil got, the more he felt eyes watching him. The viper race made him nervous. He did not trust them, save Viper and Sanna of course. Maybe it was the way they had treated Rayanna in the past that she was now captured by one of her own people. Whatever the reason, he could not tell Rayanna for this was her world and her people wither she believed so or not.

Veil landed on the ground in a clearing of sorts, looked around trying to make out details when his com-link went off.

"Veil." He said answering the call.

"What are you doing?" Armies asked.

"Eating pizza and watching Transformers." Veil said very sarcastically, "What the hell do you think I'm doing? I'm looking for Rayanna."

"Sorry I asked." Armies said and then hung up on Veil.

Veil sighed. He hadn't meant to upset his little buddy and so to attempted to fix things, he called Armies back and said. "Listen man, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I'm just worried about her."

"I know. I am too but she can handle herself. She'll be fine."

"I know but I'm worried about what Tyron will do to her. She shouldn't have to go through this!!"

"I know." Armies said. He didn't know what else to say because there was nothing that could be said. "Veil, tell me where ya are and I'll come help you. Tanon said she…."

"Hold on one second." Veil said as he heard something moving in the brush around him. His sight was better than before but defiantly, not a hundred percent.

"What's going on?" Armies asked

"I heard something." Veil whispered.

"Can you see yet?"

"Not everything. My peripheral vision is still gone. I can barely make out details."

"I'm coming to you." Armies said with a scene of command.

"No." Veil said, "Stay where you are. We are no good to Viper if we are both dead."

"But you can't see! How the hell are you going to fight something if ya can't see?"

"I'll be fine." Veil said, "I'll call you back when I find her. Veil out." Veil hung up the com-link, looked around and said, "You can come out. I know you're here!" A few seconds later, seven vipers dressed iron armor, came froth and circled Veil.

"Veil Allegory," said one of the vipers. His eyes were green, instead of the deep red of Sanna's and Raynna's eyes and his forked tonge hissed as he spoke, "You are under arrest."

"On what charges?" Veil asked crossing his arms. He didn't care much about viper law but he wasn't a citizen of the viper world so he wasn't about to go with out a fight.

"For plotting to kill the only heir to the Viper throne!"

_Crap!_

These were Tyron's men and had been ordered to fin him and Armies. What had Tyron to do Viper? Had her harmed her? He prayed not.

"Your going to have to come with us!" said the head guard.

"Like hell I will."

"A fight would not be good on your end Mr. Allegory. I suggest you come with us willingly."

"Seven to one odds." Veil said, "I've been against worse. Listen, I ain't going anywhere. Not without a fight."

The guard sighed and said, "If you wish."

This is going to be interesting. Veil thought to himself as he summoned his Phantom Army. True he had been against worse odds but never against worse odds blind. He would do the best he could but in the end he knew what was going to happen. What had to happen. Then all seven vipers summoned their pets which ranged from Phantom Armies to fire imps to one rather large snow creature. Veil realized that no all vipers were Illusion controllers like Viper but were a range of controllers. Veil knew they'd get him in thre end but he didn't much care at this point. The only thing he care about at that moment in timem was Rayanna and if these gaurds could get him to her then fine but there was no fun in surrendering.

Veil summoned his own Phantom Army, Phantom and Spectral Terror. His Phantom, he placed directly in front of him and would use him as his eyes.

One by on the pets began to attack eachother, while Veil used his mastery of fire against the vipers. First thing he did was take out the Snow Creature. It took him a few times but finally one of Veil's fire balls smacked the creature dead center in the face. It screamed in pain and vanished a second later. Then Veil's Phantom Army and Spectral Terror ran out of steam and vanished, leaving Veil and his Phantom to fight alone.

The fire imps, who had been held off by Veil's army, now approached Veil. He threw up his fire shield to protect himself from anything the imps could throw but while he was dealing with the imps, he did not notice the head viper coming from behind him. The viper created ice around Veil's feet to prvent him from moving and then hit Veil with an ice blast, which froze his arms and waist. His shield fell and his Phatom died.

Veil knew he was beat. The pets were allowed to beat on Veil for a moment before being recalled and before the ice holds wore off, the head guard walked to Veil said, "All this could have been avoided Mr. Allegory had you come with us willingly."

"Now…where is the fun,…in that?" Veil said and then received a punch to the head knocking him out.


	15. Chapter 15

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Armies passed Sanna's floor waiting for veil to call him back and let him know that he and Viper were all right. His mind control had long since worn off of Tanon but he remained in the chair that Armies had put him in. 

"That's getting annoying." Tanon said, "Why are you doing that?"

"I have to do something." Armies said, "Veil told me to stay here until he calls but its been forever since I heard from him last."

"Call him." Tanon suggested and Armies did just that but his worry for his friend was only doubled when Veil did not answer his com-link.

"Damn it!" Armies yelled slamming his fist against the wall. "He didn't answer."

"Maybe he turned it off." Tanon said trying to help Armies think positive thought but she had a feeling that it wouldn't work.

"No." Armies said simply, "Veil never turns his com-link off. Tyron's got him." Armies concluded and just as Armies was about to walk out the door, Tanon stood up and began to walk that way. Armies watched him and just when Tanon thought he was getting away, Armies said, "Where are you going?"

Tanon didn't say anything for a moment because he didn't know what to say. He knew if he told the truth then Armies would surely kill him. Even though he saved his life from the angry Veil earlier, Tanon was not so sure that Armies would show him the same kindness twice.

"I said where are you going?" Armies asked once more when Tanon did not answer. "You don't surely think you are getting out of here? Cause I will have you know," Armies said approaching Viper's two timing boyfriend, "that if anything happens to Viper, and I mean anything, then you will pay for it!"

Just then the bookcase that hid the secret passage way, began to move. Armies was not sure who was on the other side, so he summoned not only his Phantom but his Phantom Army as well and was prepared to blind anyone who came through the secret door. Just as he was about to attack he saw the person he least expected come through the door.

"Sanna?" Armies asked recalling his phantoms as he walked to the viper's side, "How did you….?"

"Let's just say Caln still has a soft spot for me." Sanna said and then asked, "What has happened to Rayanna?"

Armies was silent for a moment and then said, "Tyron has her."

"WHAT?" Sanna yelled, "What have you done?"

"Not me!" Armies said defending himself as he pointed to Tanon, "Tanon, her personal body guard was working with Tyron the whole time. He led her to him."

Not taking her eyes off of Tanon, Sanna asked, "Where is Veil Allegory?"

"He ran off blind after Tyron to get Viper back." Armies said, "I tried to get him on his com but he won't answer."

"You believe Tyron has him as well?"

"Yes." Armies said and then asked, "What now?"

"I know of a way to save your friend and my niece." Sanna said and then saw Tanon trying to leave again and so she quickly said, "And we will need Tanon's help to make it work."

"What?" Armies said, "He double crossed Viper, Sanna. What makes you think he won't do the same thing twice?"

"Because if he does not do what I tell him, I will do worse things to him than you or Veil ever could, combined." Sanna said challenging Tanon, which was a first since Sanna was clearly a woman of non violence.

"Like what Sanna? You wouldn't hurt a belly toad." Tanon said laughing in Sanna's face which was not something you were to do to her. Armies saw Sanna's knowledgeable face turn into a death stare. Armies, for a split second, saw Viper when she was pissed at some bad guy for picking a fight with him or Veil. Viper never took too kindly to anyone messing with the people she loved and cared for and he suspected that Sanna was the same way.

"Tanon, I swear to you, if you betray Armies and I, I will personally torment you in the ways of the ancestors before the viper race became civilized!" Sanna said and watched as Tanon's face went from mocking Sanna to fearing her. Armies didn't know what Sanna had just threatened Tanon with but if it made Tanon scared to death, did Armies really even wanna know?

"Okay. Okay!" Tanon said, his voice shaking with fear, "I'll do whatever you want!"

"Good. Come now, the both of you." Sanna said as she walking into the dark passage way, followed by Tanon and then Armies who closed the passage door behind him.


	16. Chapter 16

**_A/N: I hope you enjoy it. _**

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When Veil woke up, he found himself on an ice cold floor with a splitting headache. He knew he wasn't going to win the battle but he also knew if he was captured he'd have a better chance at finding the woman he loved. 

Yes, he finally admitted to himself that he was deeply in love with Rayanna and that he had been all along, ever since they met. Armies had teased him that he really did like her but Veil never believed his little Illusion friend until that very moment.

Veil attempted to sit up but failed and so he found the wall with his hand and forced himself to sit up against the wall. He must have been hit several dozen times before he was knocked out. He moved his hands along the floor to see how long the walls were and when he did he felt his fingers run into hair. He continued to move along the hair and then felt a bald head that the hair was attached to.

_Rayanna!_ He thought. She was the only bald viper who had a long ponytail in the back. He forced himself to move toward her and place her head in his lap. He could barely see the outline of her face but he could see enough to know that she was not awake.

"Rayanna!"

At first she did not responed so he shook her gently and relaxed when he saw her beautiful red eyes. Her eyes seemed to glow in the darkness and made Veil really see how beautiful they truly were.

"Kory?" She asked using his real name that his mother gave him and not the name he had taken when he became a superhero. This was the first time she had called him by that name since they had met several years ago and Veil knew why. For the same reason he called her by her real name.

"Yes, I'm here." He said as he felt her slowly sitting up and then wrapping her arms around his neck and then burying her face into his shoulder. He felt her body shaking as she began to cry into his body.

"I'm so glad you are here!" She cried between sobs. Veil had never seen her like this before. All he knew to do was simply hold her and let her cry.

"Shh." He said as he gently stroked her long red hair, "It's all right. I'm here darling."

"I'm so sorry that I was angry with you earlier. I shouldn't have run off like that. I'm sorry."

"Baby, it's all right." Veil said, "You had every…ow."

Viper pulled away for a moment, and when she did, Veil felt her arms shaking violently. She was having trouble holding on to him. What had Tyron done to her? Why wasn't she telling him that she was hurt?

So almost in perfect unison, they said to each other, "Your hurt!"

"Its nothing." Veil said, "What did he do to you? Why haven't you healed yourself?"

"I could ask you the very same thing!" Viper said as Veil brought her closer to him, pulled out a healing inspiration that you placed on the skin and it immediately sank in. He had four which was enough to heal both of them but that wasn't the point. Veil should only have had to use two because she should have been able to use her empathy powers. Hell, she should have been able to break out of her with her powers.

"I was worried about you!" Veil said, "Why would I worry about healing myself when I had to find you to see if you were all right? Now what did Tyron do to you?"

Viper heard Veil's voice go from loving to full of anger as he spoke. He knew she was all right now that he had healed her but he was still very angry that Tyron had touched her at all. She took a deep breath and said, "He's torturing me. He wants me to bow down to him and be his slave when he is ruler."

"Why didn't you heal yourself? Better yet, why didn't you escape when they took you out of here?"

"Because I can't." Rayanna said lowering her head.

"What do you mean you can't?" Veil asked as he pulled her face up and forced her to look at him.

"Tanon placed a braclet on my saying it was my grandmother's. When in reality it was a device that sent a toxin into my body to cancel my powers."

"A toxin?" Veil asked, "Like the one that killed your grandmother."

"Not exact but similar." Viper said as she began to cry again. "I don't want to end up like her, Kory."

"You won't. I won't let that happen to you." Veil stood to his feet and began to feel around for the edge of the cell.

"Kory, what are you doing?" Viper said as she stood to her feet watching Veil's every move. With her viper eyes she could see in this pitch darkness as easily as she could in the day light and thus was an asset on cave missions.

"Looking for a way out." Veil said feeling all along the bars of the cell and looking for the lock.

"Veil, none of your powers are going to get us out of here."

"Why not?"

"Because there is a brace on your ankle." Viper said and Veil looked down and for the dirst time noiced a brace on his left ankle.

"This the same thing Tanon put on you?"

"Not exact but I imagine that it is cancelling your powers. Otherwise you could use your flame to get us out."

"You don't think…." Veil asked letting his sentence trail when he saw Vip shake her head.

"No I don't. Tyron has no reason for killing you. Unless he'd want to start a galactic war with earth." Viper said and then asked, "What now?"

"We find a way out." Veil said, "I promise that I will find us a way out of this."

* * *

Tanon lead the way with Sanna and Armies behind him with shackles on their ankles and their heads hung low. They appered as if they were prisoners and to anyone who didn't know better, they were. Tanon walked down several hallways and when it seemed that he did not know where to go, Sanna whispered, "You know where to go Tanon. Do not play games unless you wish to meet the Ansestors today." 

From what Sanna had said to Tanon earlier, Armies had full confidence that if provoked, Sanna would do as she had promised. Tanon nodded his head, mainly out of fear of what Sanna would do to him if he did not comply, as they turned the corner and literally ran into a guard.

"Rakil." Tanon said, "Forgie my clumbssiness. In my hurry to bring these prisoners in I was not watching where my feet were taking me."

"It's all right Brother." Rakil said. He was a very dark skinned viperwho was nearly as tall as Veil. He wore his long silky black hair in a pony tail much as viper did. He looked from tanon to the prisoners he carried and smiled upon seeing Sanna.

"Well if it isn't the mighty Sanna and the human."

"I have a name you know!" Armies said but the viper continued as if he'd never spoken.

"Guess the curtousy that Calm showed you didn't matter." Rakil then turned back to Tanon and said, "Shall I summon Tyron?"

"No."

"No?"

"He does not know that I have captured these two. I wish to surprise him."

Rakil nodded his head and continued on his way.

"Brother?"

"Excuse me?" Tanon asked looking at armies.

"He called you brother. What was that about?"

"He is my older brother." Tanon replied opening a door allowing Sanna and Armies to go first. Once Tanon closed the door behind him said, "The cells are in this section to the left and the generator to the right."

Sanna nodded and said, "Armies you go to the cells and free Veil and Rayanna. Tanon and I will go to the generator to cover our escape. Can you make it alone?"

"Are you kidding?" Armies asked, "Your talking to Armies. I'll be fine."

"Very well." Sanna said, "Good luck armies."


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N: please enjoy it. **_

* * *

Viper leaned against Veil trying to keep her eyes open but she was quickly becoming tired of fighting. Veil looked down at Vip, gently nudged her and asked, "Are you all right love?" 

"I don't know." Viper replied with a tired voice as her eyes began to water. She didn't really understand the feeling she had other than being tired but she knew it had something to do with the toxin that Tyron had given her.

"What do you mean you don't know?" Veil asked with worry in his voice but Vip also heard anger. She heard the anger that he tried to hid but failed. She knew why he was and she was too but for her to sound angry was too much work. Once they got out of this cell, she was going to track down Tyron and make him pay for what he had done not only to her but their grandmother as well.

"I don't know babe." Viper said moving around to try and stay awake. She feared that if she fell asleep she'd never be able to wake up, "I just know that I feel like this because of the damn toxin." Viper said attempting to stand to her feet but her legs gave way beneath her causing her to fall to the ground.

Immediately, Veil went to the half viper's side and attempted to help her to her feet but she gently pulled away.

"I have to stand on my own." Viper said trying to come up with the strength to stand. Giving Vip what she wanted, Veil let go of his love but stood idly by incase she could not get up on her own.

Finally, when she knew she had the strength she pushed herself up quickly. Her arms began to shake violently and Veil feared that she'd fall on her face once more. Just when Veil was about to aid her, she grabbed hold of one of the steel bars that held them within the cell. Taking a moment to regain her strength, Viper held on to the bar as Veil asked, "You sure you don't want my help, Rayanna?" Veil asked when Vip began to pulled herself up.

"Yes, I'm sure." Viper said once she was standing to her feet, "I need to be able to fight this toxin, Kory."

"I know Sweetie and you will." Veil said walking to Rayanna and allowing her to hold on to his arms to keep her on her feet.

"I'm not so sure." Vip said as tears came to her eyes and one or two fell. She was too tried to try and hold the tears back. "I hate being like this."

"Like what? Talk to me Sweetie."  
"Like this! Powerless. Useless. Weak."

"Darlin' your anything but weak."

"But that's how I feel!" Viper said, "I swear when I get out I am going to make Tyron pay for everything he has done!"

Veil heard the furry in her voice that had been gone for a while. He knew that if Vip set her mind to something she would do it. He knew exactly how angry she was and because of that he knew that if she were to go up against Tyron, she would not be thinking clearly. Not in this state.

"Rayanna, listen to me," Veil said gently, "I know how much you want to make him pay but you are in no shape to do so."

"He has to pay Kory."

"And he will." Veil said kissing Rayanna on her forehead.

Just then the light came on and Tyron walked in with his purple cape flowing behind him. Viper straightened up and let go of Veil as soon as she saw him. She knew he wanted to see her in pain but she wasn't about to give him that satisfaction.

"I see that somehow you have managed to heal yourself, little cousin." Tyron said with an evil smile and then he looked from his half viper cousin to Veil. "And this must be your human mate. The one who got bested by my men."

"Whatever he says Kory, don't listen." Viper whispered, "He only wants to anger you."

"Too late for that Rayanna." Veil said in the same hushed tone, "He accomplished that the moment the touched you."

Veil turned to face Tyron and said, "Undo what you have done to her."

Tyron laughed, "And why would I do that?"

"Because if you don't and she dies, I will make sure you pay in every way possible."

As Veil spoke she could hear the calmness in his voice but his voice was strange to her. His voice was no long the soothing, warm, loving voice that she had heard only a moment ago. His voice no longer felt like the tides gently rolling into the beach and touching the sand with each tide. No, his voice was hard, cold, and uncaring. His voice felt like a single flame growing with every passing moment and engulfing a beautiful forest. She had never heard this tone before. True he had a tone that he used with villains but this was not it. This was harsher than the voice he used on villains back home. Perhaps this new voice had really always been there but she had never heard it because he had never let her.

"You flatter me, Mr. Allegory but I assure you, you cannot do such a thing."

"Don't underestimate me, Tyron."

"He may not threaten you Tyron," Viper said slowly walking to the front of the cell to better tell at her younger cousin. Once more she saw the red crystal he used as a brooch and knew that it had to be the Krystal, "But believe me when I tell you that when I get out of this place I will torture you as you have so many people and I will kill you. I will make sure you die slowly and without your viper honor."

Tyron laughed loudly in Viper's face. "How do you plan on doing that? By puking all over me? Cousin, the toxin is running its course. You have no powers and you can barely stand on your own. I'd say you won't make it through the night."

Viper didn't have anything else left to say to her cousin because she knew he was probably right. She needed sleep but she knew if she did close her eyes for even a second, it would surely be the end of her.

Suddenly, as Viper's eyes wandered around the room, she saw the open door that lead to the hall way, move. It could have been the ventilation but Viper knew better. It was Armies but as long as Tyron was in the room he could not become visible.

Veil made a motion toward Tyron but viper placed her hand on his chest. She knew that Tyron was about to leave, which meant that Armies was about to bust them out. So the sooner the better.

"Let him leave." Vip whispered gently.

"What?"

"We can't do anything in here. It's no use. Let him leave." Viper continued to say. She knew that she would eventually get the chance to go against Tyron but at this moment, she couldn't do anything. She had to simply wait and waiting was something neither she nor Veil was very good at when they were angry.

"Surely you have a cure." Veil said as Tyron was about to leave. Tyron smiled to himself. He was getting a kick out of this so he didn't see any reason not to indulge them a little longer. He turned around and said, "Why do you presume that I have a cure?"

"Everyone who has ever come up with a toxin has always made a cure and kept it close."

"So you think I've created a cure to protect myself?"

"It would be the logical thing Tyron." Veil said, "If the toxin were somehow flipped onto you, you'd want a cure."

"Very logical, Mr. Allegory." Tyron said, "And yes you are right. There is a cure but you will never find it because you will never leave that cell. She will be dead by morning and you well, you will either die years from now in that cell or die by your own hand because you cannot bear to live without your precious Halfling mutt."

Veil ran forward,grabbing Tyron through the bars and as he pulled him close, said, "You will pay for what you have done. If she dies, no one, no planet, no universe, no galaxy can keep you safe from me. I will find you and rip you a part like the dog you are."

"Kory." Viper said gently placing a hand on his back but when he did not release Tyron from his grasp, she yelled, "Veil!"

When he heard the woman he loved yell his codename, he released Tyron and allowed him to walk out the door.

"I could have taken care of him!" Veil said which surprised Viper. Veil had such a caring and loving nature that she didn't think he was capable of killing anything but she knew he was doing it to protect her.

"I know Love," Viper said leaning her head on Veil's chest as he held her once more, "but now is not the time and you will not be the one to do it."

Veil looked at Vip for a moment. He knew she was right and that she'd have to defeat Tyron on her own but didn't want that for her. He would much rather him take out Tyron for her so that she didn't have to do any dirty work but of course Rayanna was the type of woman who very much wanted to do things her way.

"You can come out now." Viper said changing the subject as she pulled away from Kory and when she saw the confused look on Veil's face she pointed behind him. When he turned around he saw Armies standing there with a smug look on his face.

"What are you smiling at?" Veil asked his tiny illusion friend.

"You two." Armies said, "Typically, I am the one who needs rescuing. If you don't mind I'm going to sit here and take this in for a moment." Armies lifted himself up in the air, sat in the lotus position, closed his eyes and smiled.

"Armies, get us out of here!" Veil whispered trying not to alarm the guards outside the door, of Armies' presents.

Viper simply smiled but then without warning her legs became weak and her knee buckled causing her to fall into Veil.

"Rayanna." He said, "Are you all right?"

At the sound of Veil's worry voice, Armies opened his eyes and said, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Viper replied.

"It's not nothing." Veil said, "Tyron placed a toxin in her blood stream. If we don't find the cure she won't make it."

Armies got down from the air and called upon his Phantom Army and Phantom, which began to knock down the door. Once the door was down, Veil picked up Vip and walked out of the cell.

Just then the alarm sounded.

"Must have had an alarm trigger to the cell door." Armies said upon hearing the alarm.

"Couldn't you have done it any quieter?" Veil asked.

"Sorry." Armies said but before anything else was said, the power, lights, alarm and all, went out without warning, returning the room to is former dark state.

"A power outage?" Viper asked. She thought it seemed strange. Planned even.

"Sanna and Tanon." Armies whispered.

"Sanna?" Veil asked, "You rescued her before us?"

"No. She escaped. Said something about Caln having a soft spot for her."

"So how we plan to get out of here?" Viper asked, "There are at least four vipers out side those doors. Not to mention the ones on their way and don't think for a second that just because the power is off that that is going to completely stop them from coming."

"Veil and I use Phantom Army."

"Slight problem little buddy."

"And that is?"

"Ankle brace that won't let me use my powers."

Armies bent down and pulled a small dagger from his left boot. Viper looked at him and said, "You couldn't have used that to pick the lock on the door?"

"What?" Armies asked with a smile, "Fighting is so much more fun."

"Only you." Veil said.

"No actually I agree with him." Vip said smiling, "It's a lot more fun to fight your way through something."

"Okay, got it." Armies said and once the brace was off, Veil could feel his power once more. It was small things like being able to feel his powers that he'd grown to appreciate.

"Ready?" Veil asked summoning his Phantom army as Armies did the same.

"Lets Rock and Roll." Armies replied as he opened the door and released their Phantom Armies on the four unsuspecting guards.

* * *

Please review. 


	18. Chapter 18

_**A/N: Okay so this chapter and the two preivious ones are my favorite chapters in this story. Originally, chapter seventeen and eighteen were suppose to be one chapter but I realised it was too long so I divided them up. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this chapter. **_

* * *

It wasn't a fair fight. Mainly because the guards didn't have enough time to call upon their own pets before they were knocked out cold. A moment after the guards were defeated and the Phantom Armies were recalled, the three heard footsteps coming from the right end of the hall. Armies was about to call upon his Phantom when Vip stopped him. 

"It's Sanna."

Armies lowered his guard for he knew that Vip could see clearly in this darkness.

"Rayanna." Sanna said but upon seeing her in Veil's arms, asked, "Are you all right."

"I'm fine." She lied. She didn't want anyone else to know that she was not only powerless but dying as well.

"She has a toxin in her system." Veil replied, "She can't use her powers. Tyron says he has a cure but I have no clue where to look."

"I do." Came a voice from behind Sanna, she turned around and saw Caln standing there. Sanna's guard was up as she glared at Caln, trying to understand his intentions.

"Why have you come?" Sanna asked, arms crossed.

"Because I love you." Caln replied shocking Sanna. A part of her had always wanted to believe that Caln still loved her even after he left her but that part of her had been shattered when Caln had locked her in that cell. Now he comes back trying to help saying he still loved her and he expected her to take him back with open arms? The truth was, she didn't know what to think. He had locked her up but he had let her get away. If he didn't love her, if her truly was following Tyron, then he would have shot her without question when she escaped but he didn't.

"Now you say you love me?"

"I let you go earlier didn't I?"

"Still doesn't change the fact that you forced me to abdicate my throne and left me wondering what might have been!" Sanna said turning her back on Caln.

"Veil, put me down please." Viper requested. Kory looked at Rayanna for a moment and even through he couldn't see her in the darkness, he knew her eyes were saying that she'd be okay. So he placed her on the ground but did not left go of her waist should she begin to fall.

"Sanna, we need him." Rayanna said simply. She didn't completely undrerstand the history between her aunt and this viper man but she did know that if Sanna did not accept Caln's help, then she was doomed to end up like her grandmother.

"We do not!" Sanna said in a very sharp angry tone.

"Sanna, I know he hurt you. I know you probably never want to see him again and the thought of asking for his help now tears you up inside but the truth of the matter is, is that if we do not find the cure for whatever toxin Tyron has put into me, then I will die. Now, if I'm dead, that means that Tyron will be ruler and no one will be able to stop him since you abdicated your throne and cannot undo that." Rayanna said lecturing her aunt as she struggled to stand on her own, "So if you do not wish to do this for Caln because he loves you, then do it for me and all of Malous."

"You are as stubborn as your mother but you have her knowledge." Sanna said taking a deep breath as she turned to Caln, eyes no softer than before, saying, "Fine but you leave me again and there is no forgiveness."

Caln nodded his head and said, "Follow me."

Tanon and Sanna began to follow but when Viper did not move Veil said, "Rayanna, what's wrong?"

"You two go with Sanna. I'm going after Tyron." She replied in a cold, dead voice that neither of the human men had ever heard before.

"WHAT?!?!" Veil and Armies asked in shock.

"Are you insane?" Veil asked, "There is no way in hell I am going to let you go to your death in the condition you are in."

"He has the Krystal Kory."

"Are you sure?" Veil asked.

"Yes. He is using it as a brooch to pin down his cape."

"Then that's all the more reason not to let you go, Vip!" Armies said, "The Krystal contains all the viper magic right?"

"Yes, He who has the Krystal is granted the power of the Krystal."

"Then he's gonna be like ten times more powerful than ever and you've never gone up against him before Vip. And that's not even mentioning the fact that you don't have any powers to fight him with."

"I know Armies. I've taken that into account but I have to do this."

"Not alone you don't!" Veil said firmly. Even though he had been told several times over that Rayanna would have to fight Tyron alone at some point, he still did not believe it. Or rather didn't want to believe it. He would not, could not accept the fact that Viper had to go into a battle where he could not come to her rescue at any time. That she had to stand alone against an enemy that was ten times more powerful than she was.

"Yes, I do. Kory. He doesn't want you or Armies. He wants me and I cannot allow you to put yourselves in danger for me. Not this time." Rayanna said as she began to walk in the opposite direction Sanna had gone but before she got far, Veil gently grabbed her left arm and spun her around, "Kory, you have to let me do this!" She said knowing she didn't have much strength left.

"I know." Veil whispered. He knew that the woman he cared about most in the whole universe was right. He hated it when she was right about him not begin able to do something with her or for her in this case. But she had to stand alone. However, if anything was to happen to her, he would make Tyron pay. He would not show the mercy that he showed to the villains of earth. He would make sure that Tyron begged for that mercy before he was destroyed. Veil pulled the woman he loved close to him, "But in case I don't see you again."

Veil leaned down and gently kissed Viper's lips. For a moment there was nothing else in the world other than the two of them. There was no darkness. No Tyron. No toxin. No pain. No Malous. Just the human and the viper sharing their love for one another through one kiss. It was the first kiss and how both of them prayed it would not be their last.

When they finally separated, Viper took Veil's face into her hand and through tears said, "I will come back to you." As Viper was about to leave Armies stopped her.

"Vip."

"Armies, don't tell me your gonna kiss me too." She said with a smile.

"No." Armies said, "Don't think Veil'd like that too much. No I was wanting you to take my dagger. You know for protection."

Vip took the dagger placed it in between her pants and her top.

"Thank you Armies."

"Hey think nothing of it, Vip." Armies said, "It's what friends do."


	19. Chapter 19

* * *

Slowly walking down the hall, Viper could feel her energy draining. She had saved her energy while Veil had held her but standing for as long as she had on her own had taken its toll on her. She knew that without her powers and with Tyron in possession of the Krystal, she was literally walking to her death but if they did not find the cure in time, she would die anyway. If she had to die on this planet, her mother home, then she would doe trying to avenge her grandmother's murder and to get revenge for what he had done to her. 

As she turned the corner she found a huge hall. To Viper it looked like something out pf a movie. There were beautiful stain glass windows all around the room. As Viper walked into the room, she looked down and saw a gray, blue, green and black snake design upon the floor. The snake was indeed a viper and upon taking a closer look at the eyes, she saw that each section of the eyes was a different color. The eyes contained red, lavender, light blue, green, orange and gold. The red however took up the most room in both eyes. She assumed that was because red was the eye color of the royal family.

Continuing to look at the viper tile design she saw a ruby red crystal was around the snake's neck. A second glance told her that it was suppose to be the same crystal that was now around Tyron's neck.

"So the Krystal was mean to be……"

"In the ruler's hands?" came a voice that she did not want to hear. She turned around careful not to fall and saw Tyron walking in from a door across the room. He still wore his cape with the Krystal but this time he had a crown of beautiful multicolored jewels upon his long dark blue hair. Viper watched him closely as he walked toward her but moved to the throne that sat thirty feet from where she stood.

"That's what you were going to say, little cousin, right? The Krystal was meant to be in the hands of the ruler." Tyron said relaxing in "his"; throne. "And that is true. The Krystal was always meant to be in the hands of the ruler. In ancent years passed, the ruler held the Krystal to protect the viper people from others who came to this planet with an evil mind, soul and heart."

"Then how did it get lost?"

"Oh it was never lost. You see Rayanna, it was purposely hidden away in a secret spot that only the ruler himself knew where it was. He did this to protect the people from his evil son who was the only heir to the throne. The son wanted the power for himself."

"Like you." Viper said harshly, "If it was hidden in one spot that only the ruler knew where it was then how did you come across it?"

"As all myths go, there are people who want to look for it and those who actually do. My father was one of those who looked for the Krystal but when he knew that I wanted it, he kept it from me. It was the only thing he never gave me and so I took it."

Rayanna thought for a moment and then said, "You killed your own father?"

"Not killed so much as released him to the ancestors." Tyron said justifying what he had done years ago.

"Tyron, the Krystal gives the owner all the powers of the Viper people. Do you know what will happen if someone of an evil soul were to poses such power?"

"Take over Malous and kill the annoying Halfling and her companions in one swoop." Tyron said evilly.

For a while Viper didn't know what to say. Tyron was so confident that she would die by his hand. What could she possibly say to that?

"I won't die easily Tyron." She finally said after a few moments.

"Ha!" Tyron laughed at his cousin's determination, "You are all ready half dead. Your hands tremble with every passing second and your legs struggle more and more to keep you standing. Without your power you are useless."

_I'm not as useless as you think_. Vip thought to herself feeling the dagger in her back. All she needed was one clean shot to either the neck or head but since he head the Krystal, that was a lot to ask for.

"If I'm so useless, why don't you come down here and finish me off."

"Because that wouldn't be a fair fight."

"You murdered your own father as well as a helpless old empress who just so happened to be your, our, grandmother. Since when do you care about having a fair fight?"

Tyron thought for a moment and then jumped down from the throne and stood only a few feet from Rayanna. He could clearly see how much she was straining to stand before him. He knew her hours were numbered and so he decided to indulge her once again and let the Halfling have her way one last time.

"All right Rayanna. Because of the condition you are in, I'll make it easy for you. I will only use my powers and not the power of the Krystal and I'll even let you take the first shot." Tyron said with a smile.

_He isn't expecting me to be armed._ Viper thought. _If I could manage to pull the dagger while charging, I mite be able to get to his throat. _

Putting her right hand behind her, she pulled the dagger out of it's hiding place, tok a deep breath and charged. He was only two feet in front of her but for someone who was fighting an internal battle with a toxin, two feet seemed like forever. She'd managed to charge him but when she went to stab him, her ankle landed wrong and she fell to the ground as the knife left her hand and landed several feet away.

"I must say cousin that I am impressed. Even in your condition your tried to kill me. You do have great determination and I hate to see it end."

"Tyron, it doesn't have to be this way." Viper said trying to push herself off of the ground but failed.

"Of but it does Rayanna. It does." Tyron said calling upin his Phantom Army and said, "My turn."


	20. Chapter 20

**_A/N: I hope you enjoy it. _**

* * *

Veil and Armies finally caught up with Sanna and Tyron's former loyal companions. 

"Guess what." Armies whispered to Sanna.

"Armies." Veil called but the troller wasn't about to be stopped.

When Sanna didn't say anything Armies spilled the beans, even thought they were not his beans to spill. "Veil kissed Vip!!"

Sanna stopped in her trackes and looked at Veil. His eyes had gotten used to the dark that he could see, maybe not as clear as day but he could still see. He sxaw Sanna's face and for a moment he thought she was angry with him but that didn't make sence. However, even if she was angry with him, he didn't much care because his love for Rayanna and their kiss was between them and them alone. Armies just simply happened to be standing there when it happened.

"Is this true Veil Allegory?"

"Yes Ma'am." Veil said politly.

"That's wonderful!" Sanna said smiling as she hugged Veil and then pecked him on the cheek, "You are good for her."

"Sorry to distub this moment Sanna, " Caln said, "But the lights will only stay off for so long and my men can only be distracted for a shot amount of time." Caln said as he came to a door which he opened and allowed everyon to go inside.

Once inside, Caln managed to find two flash lights, gave one to Sanna and began to search for the cure.

"What all is in the cure anyway?" Veil asked following Caln.

_I'm not as useless as you think _Veil heard but wasn't sure who had said it. He had heard Rayanna call for him once before but was this her? Or was her beginning to hear things?

"Did you hear that?" Veil asked the others.

"Hear what?" Armies asked curiously. He wasn't sure if Veil had heard someone coming or if he was simply hearing something that wasn't really there.

"I thought I heard someone say something." Veil said but then realized that no one in the room had spoken. Really no one had said a word until Veil spoke. So Veil dismissed it from his mind and began to focus on looking for the cure, even though he didn't know what it looked like.

With Armies and Sanna now on the other side of the lab type room, and Veil and Caln's backs turned to the door, no one noticed when Tanon slipped back out the door. That was until they heard the door slab and lock.

"What the…." Caln said looking at the door.

"Tanon!" Veil and Armies yelled together.

_He isn't expecting me to be armed_._If I could manage to pull the dagger while charging, I mite be able to get to his throat. _This time when Veil heard the voice, he knew it had to be Viper. She was the only one who had been armed and looking for a fight. It was either that or her really was hearing things and beginning to lose his mind. He knew he would have to get to the bottom of this but now was not the time. Now was the time to go after Tanon for betraying them yet again.

"I knew he couldn't be trusted!" Armies said.

Sanna walked to the door and said, "Let us out of her Tanon."

"Not a chance in Katoona!" He yelled back. Armies and Veil didn't know what 'Katoona' meant but they assumed it was the viper's version of hell.

"I will get you and treat you as the ancestors would."

"How you gonna do that with out powers?" Tanon asked, "See I ain't afraid of you. Never was. Just made you think I was so I could capture you with in the palace. Only wish the Halfling would have followed us. I would love to get my……."

"Tanon! Don't you lay a hand on her!!!!" Veil yelled as he attempted to summon his fire balls to bust down the door but failed. He tried once more but failed just the same.

"Veil?" Armies asked when he saw the look on his friend's face.

"Can't use my powers."

"That's right. None of you can!" Tanon said, "As we speak there is a non-toxic gas that is seeping into the room from the vent. You cannot get out."

"We have to deal with this later." Armies said, "Viper needs us to find the cure."

Agreeing everyone went back to the shelves to look for the cure that Viper so desperately needed.

"Caln, what is in this cure anyway?" Veil asked again after they began to look for the cure once more.

"A few spices. A belly toad's liver and a very small sliver of the Krystal."

"The Krystal?" Veil asked, as in the one that is suppose to hold all the powers of the vipers?"

Caln nodded his head and then said, "Its not here."

"What?" Sanna asked.

"What do you mean its not there?" Armies asked.

"I mean it should be on this shelf but it's not." Caln said pointing to the designated spot for the cure.

"What do we do now?" Armies asked.

"We can't let Rayanna die. I won't let her die. Not like this."

"Cool your heels lover boy." Caln said, "Nobody said anything about letting your girl die."

"But we don't know where the cure is." Armies said.

"Maybe but I made the cure once. I can make it again." Caln said suddenly when the lights came back on followed by the alarm. "But we'll need to move fast."


	21. Chapter 21

_**A/N: please enjoy it. **_

* * *

Viper could feel the blood leaving her body through a wound in her back. It ran down her back, over her pants and drop by drop fell to the ground. She could no longer stand on her own but her broken leg had a hand in that. Her head pounded and felt too heavy for her neck to hold. Her viper hearing enabled her to hear the drops of blood falling to the floor drop by drop. She was being allowed to hear her body dying. 

"Have you have enough Halfling?" Tyron asked as he yawned. He was growing tired of this massacure. He wanted a real fight and with the lights back on, he knew his meant would soon be having the fun.

_Drip. _

Viper bearly heared Tyron because she was focusing on the dirpping. Tears came to her eyes as she realized she was going to die alone. This is not how she thought it would end. There would be no dad to hold her hand as she went to the after life. No Armies to try and make her smile one last time. No Sanna to tell her what a wonderful person she was. There would be no Kory to kiss her one last time as any woman should be kissed farewell. This is not how she wanted to go. She had failed her grandmother and she had failed Sanna. She felt that she should have been able to take Tyron alone but she was over confident and probably beating herself up to much but she was lying there dying what more could she do that beat on herself and think of those who she loved most.

_Drip _

Kory.

What a great kiss they had shared and it was a shame that it was to be their first and last. If only she had approched him sooner. If only she had made a move on earth months ago when Armies had said that Kory liked her. But, she hadn't. She had been to scared to make a move. She had been too scared that Armies was wrong about Veil's feelings for her. She had been too scared of being hurt again. True she had never had a boyfriend and so she had really never been hurt romantically but she had heard of the pain. It was almost the same type of pain that one got from being the laughing stock of a school because one looks different from others. Maybe it wasn't exactly the same but it was the same type of feelings anyway. Her only wish now was that if she had to die, if it had to be this way, she wished that Kory could be there to say goodbye.

Drip

She didn't want to die alone. That had been her worst fear since she was a little kid. Now normal children don't have a fear of dying alone because they are naive about death in the first place but Viper had never been a normal child to being with. Since her mother had been killed, she was forced to come face to face with death at a young age. Every now and then, Viper wondered what it was like for her mother to die alone. She wondered is she was scared, like Viper was now or if she had any regrets about her life. She didn't know but all she knew was that she didnt' want to die alone but there was no way of getting anyone to help her now. Her mind could no longer communicate with her mouth. She literally nothing more than a wounded soul trapped with in a dying shell. So she cried out to the one person who she knew could still hear her.

_Drip_

_God, please help me! I don't want to die like this! If you wish to call me home to you, then fine but any way but this Lord. Please! Anyway but this! _More tears came flowing out of her blood red eyes as she silently prayed to her Lord and Savior. She knew he could still hear her and he would take care of her but she prayed that he would not take her this way. Anyway but this way. When Vip finished her unspoken prayer, she began to scream and yell with in her head. She was trapped with no way out. It was one thing being in the cell that Tyron had put her in earlier but this, this was something completely different. With in the walls of her mind she screamed as loud as she could, praying that someone, anyone would be able to hear her.

* * *

**MEAN WHILE:**

They waited for Caln to make the cure when suddenly Veil grabbed his head and fell to the ground screaming.

"Veil!!" Armies said upon seeing his friend go down.

Sanna rushed to Veil, knelt down and said, "Are you all right?"

For a moment Veil didn't say anything. He couldn't because all he heard was screaming. Rayanna's screaming to be exact. He could be in a room full of a hundred people screaming and he would be able to pin point Viper's scream. He could recognize it anywhere. But why was she in so much pain? What had Tyron done to her? How badly was she hurt and how much more time did she have? All these questions ran through his head until he could finally hear outside of his mind. But after a few moments he finally said, "I'll be all right but Rayanna won't."

"What do you mean?" Sanna asked.

"Tyron is killing her." Veil said as he figured what her scream had meant. But it was not just that Tyron was killing her. Her scream had had more than pain in it. It also held a sence of being trapped. " If we can't get the cure to her fast, she'll be dead very soon. Sooner than we all thought."

"Wait a second." Armies said, "How do you know that? I mean you and Vip aren't telepaths. Are you?"

"In a way they are Armies." Sanna said , "In the viper culture, when a viper finds his or her soul mate. It is said that they can hear each other's thoughts. It is a bond that no matter what happens can not be broke.

**_But it can be blocked. _**

Sanna thought to herself. She had once had that connection with Caln but the day he left her was the day she blocked him from her thoughts.

"It happened earlier too." Veil said as Armies and Sanna helped him to his feet even though he was taller than both of them. "Three times before actually."

"So what does this mean?" Armies asked noticing the smile on Sanna's face.

"It means that Veil and Rayanna are destined to be together. They are soul mates."

"Got it!" Caln said handing a glass corked vile with green liquid to Veil.

"Everything is in there except for the slice of Krystal. That you will need to get yourself."

"The one that Tyron is wearing?"

Caln nodded his head to Armies.

"That ain't gonna be easy."

"We've got to do it, Armies." Veil said and Armies simply nodded. He was not about to argue with Veil over this but he knew there was no way in hell that this was going to be a walk in the park. Tyron had all the power of the viper, making him at least ten times more powerful.

"So, how do we get out of here?" Armies asked. He knew that if he had his dagger then he could probably have picked the lock on the door but then what would they do about the guards that would be on the other side? Tanon had locked the door but he would surely call for back up to prevent them from leaving.

Caln went to a closet across the way and pulled out a long sword decorated with a viper painting.

"Isn't that the sword I gave you?" Sanna asked as Caln nodded his head. Sanna had given Caln the sword as a gift on his birthday. It was the last gift she ever gave him.

"It is." He said and then whispered, "I can get this door down but as soon as the door comes down, there will be guards on the other side. Guards who have access to their powers."

Everyone knew what he was saying. He was saying that because they did not have access to their powers, they were likely to get pretty roughed up but they all knew they had to get out if they were to save Viper.

"As soon as we get out of this room, our powers should come back right? I mean if we are no longer breathing the gas then our powers would return yes?" Veil asked. He figured this was so but he thought better to ask and be sure. His answer was confirmed by a nod of Caln's head.

Then Caln moved to the door, the other's moved back, and he began to chop away at it. Swing by swing, the door slowly gave way. Piece for the door fell to the floor while other flew across the room until finally, the door was weak enough to be kicked down, which is exactly what Caln did.

As soon as the door was knocked down, several gaurds came rushing into the room and attempted to recapture the prisoners. They pulled out their pets, which only crowded the room more, and began the fight. Armies began dodging hits while Veil began to look for a way out.

They needed to get to Rayanna and there was no time for this battle. Seeing this Caln ran his sword through a two of the guards, clearing the room up when their pets disappeared. This also resulted clearing the door way.

"Go." Caln said looking at Veil and Armies.

"What about you?" Armies asked looking at Sanna. She didn't have any powers but she was managing to hold her own. But how much longer could she last?

"We'll be fine. Go save the Halfling." Caln said as he dodged another blow to the head and then returned the punch.

"We will cover your escape." Sanna said doing a summer sault over a guard, "Now go!"

Veil and Armies, without another word, ran out of the room and as soon as they hit the fresh air, they both could feel their powers returning. Armies made them invisible as they flew down the hall way.

_Rayanna._ Veil thought, _Where are you? _

_Throne room._ She replied weakly. Veil knew she barely had any time left at all. So he pushed himself to go as fast as he could. Upon finding the throne room, the human controllers saw Tyron and Tanon's backs turned to them as well as Vip pinned against the wall in worse shape than anything the two had ever seen.

_Hang on Baby!_ Veil said. _I'm going to save you_.

Veil whispered to Armies who nodded his head as Veil became visable once more. The two walked into the room, Armies getting ready for Veil's cue as he walked over to where his dagger lay and Veil headed for Tyron and Tanon. Although, Veil did have a bone to pick with Tanon, at this moment his battle was with Tyron.

**"Tyron!"** Veil yelled.

Tyron and Tanon turned around and upon seeing Veil, Tyron said, "Oh look if it isn't the human."

"How did you get out?" Tanon asked Veil.

"Locking us in a room isn't exactly a perfect way to get us out of the way." Veil said, "Next time, you might want to try to make sure that we don't have anything in the room that could get us out." Veil then called upon his Phantom Army, Phantasm and a fire ring he placed around himself as a shield as he said, "**I told you that you would pay if you let her die, Tyron!"** His voice was as cold as steel yet as hot the fire that blazed around him.

"Well she ain't dead yet." Tyron said, "She is a stubborn little halfling mutt. Why don't you come back later?" Tyron turned his back on Veil and watched Viper.

_He's right about one thing. Veil thought. _

_What's that, Love? _Rayanna asked not believing that Veil was actually agreeing with something that her evil cousin had said.

_You are stubborn. _

_Maybe but you're not much better, Mr. Allegory. _

_True but Lady, would you want me any other way? _

_No_. Viper simply replied and then with out even having to tell him that she didn't have much time he told her _Little longer darling._

Veil then threw a fire ball at the back of Tyron's head. His dark blue hair caught on fire and burned off. The only thing that saved the top of his head was his crown of jewels, which was made to with stand anything.

**"Don't turn away when I'm talking to you!"** Veil yelled as Tyron turned around after he got over the fact that his hair was nearly gone and that he had been on fire.

Before Tyron could say anything, Tanon charged Veil in an attempt to protect the Crowed Prince from harm but Veil saw this coming. As Tanon charged, Veil punched Tyron in the face and kicked him out of the way saying, "I'll deal with you later."

"So you want to play with the big boys Veil Allegory?" Tyron asked patting the fire out on his head as he turned around and summoned a huge fire demon. "Lets play!"

* * *

Please review. 


	22. Chapter 22

_**A/N: I hope you enjoy this chapter. **_

* * *

Veil dodged the fire blows from the over grown demon a few times. His Phantom took flight and attacked its face while his Phantom Army attacked the monster's legs. After a few moments of this, the demon fell and was recalled. A second later the Phantom Army vanished. 

Tyron began to charge Veil but was stopped when he felt the heat of the flame that surrounded his enemy. However this was not going to stop him from attacking his enemy. Using kinetics, he repeled Veil sending him backwards into the wall behind him, causing him to loose concentration over his fire shield.

As veil picked himself up from the floor, his Phantom began to attack Tyron with everything from shooting beams to pulling out it's decoy phantom. Veil would have used his Phantom Army at that moment to attack Tyron but the army was not yet ready for action. So instead Veil blinded Tyron and then a second later a Phantom and a Phantom army appered and began to attack Tyron. Knowing neither the Phantom Army nor the new Phantom belonged to him, Veil knew it could only be one other person: Armies.

Veil had known that his little buddy had wanted a piece of Tyron for what he'd done to Viper and had taken the oppourtunity when Veil'd been tossed off his feet.

_Veil I don't ….think I can hang…. on any more._ Viper said weakly. Veil noticed how she was not talking in a normal sentence. She was having to pause at least twice before she was able to finish one sentence.

_I know love_. Veil said, _but try please_.

_Kory…I…love…you…_ Viper said but then nothing else came.

_Viper?_ Veil asked calling her name but no reply.

_Rayanna?_ He called once more with her real name but still no reply.

**_RAYANNA!_**

With Tyron blinded and trying to fight off Armies and his pets, Veil used his speed and punched Tyron in the face, sending him to the ground on his back. Veil lifted the blind evil viper up off of the ground and took the Krystal from him.

"You think you can beat me Veil Allegory?" Tyron asked, even thought he was clearly "beat" at the moment.

"It is not my place to beat you Tyron." Veil said in a very harsh cold tone, "But it will be if she dies!"

With that, Veil threw Tyron to the ground at Armies' feet, next to Tanon and said firmly, "Watch them."

Armies made himself visible as he, his Phantom and his Army formed a circle around Tyron and Tanon as Veil took the small knife that had been on Tyron's belt and cut a tiny sliver of the Krystal, placing it into the vile. The green liquid turned bright orange the moment the slice of Krystal was placed in the vile. Veil ran to where Viper lay, motionless. He gently picked her body up, opened her mouth and poured the cure in. Closing her mouth Veil called her name.

"Rayanna."

No answer. Veil felt the blood running through his fingers. He used his transfution power, taking some of Tyron's and Tanon's life force and giving it to Viper but it wasn't enough.

_Rayanna_. He cried mentally. _Come on Love. I've given you the cure._ This cure had to work. It just had to.

"Veil….." Armies said but when Armies didn't know what to say he simply turned to Tyron and Tanon and in a low growl said "You better pray she is not dead!"

**"Shh!"** Veil said, **"VIPER!"** He cried once more but she still did not answer.

"Oh what do you know," Tyron said, "She did die. Guess she wasn't as stubborn as I thought."

**"SHUT-UP!"** Armies said kicking Tyron in the gut. He didn't want to believe that one of his best friends was really gone but with each passing moment it looked to be the only truth. Armies pulled Tyron to his feet, held his knife, which he'd picked up, to his throat and said, **"Say one more word and you lose your head."**

Veil gently hugged Viper as he burred his face in her chest. He had been too late. She had held on as long as she could and still he couldn't save her. Why couldn't he have saved her. Maybe if they had found the cure a second sooner, he could have saved her. Maybe if he had managed to get her from Tyron's clutches before all this happen, she would be breathing still. Still yet, maybe if he had been able to keep Viper away from Tanon in the first place, maybe then, maybe the woman of his dreams would be by his side, holding his hand, rather than laying on the ground as a corpse.

_I'm so sorry._

"Rayanna. I'm sorry my love." Veil said through his sobs, voicing his sorrow as if she could still hear him. He wanted so badly to believe that she was not gone but there was no hope left. He had tried to save her with the cure and it had failed. He had failed her. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you." Then he did the only thing he could think of to do.

He prayed.

Armies watched as Veil showed emotion that he had never displaced before. Veil and Viper both were pretty privet people when it came to their emotions, Viper more so than Veil, but this was the first time that Armies had see his friend break down in tears before. However it wasn't like he didn't have a good reason to let his emotions out.

"Please, Lord. Don't let her die like this." He whispered softly. It was a prayer that was between himself and his Lord and Savior. He knew that his Lord would hear him and would give him an answer but he could not and would not believe that now was Viper's time to be take home. "Please."

After a few moments Veil mentally spoke again. He didn't want to give up but he knew she was dead. Now it was just a matter of accepting that the love of his life was gone. The only woman that he had ever felt this way towards was gone.

_Please forgive me Rayanna_. Veil said as one last attempt to speak with his one true love, _I'm so sorry that I couldn't save you_

When Viper did not respond to his words, and knowing that she was gone, Veil gently laid the love of his life on the cold tile the next thing Armies knew, Veil was on top of Tyron beating the crap out of him.The human illusion and Kinetics controller used everything he had on Tyron. Everything from Phantisam and Phantom Army to his fists. In all the years that Armies had spent with Veil, he'd never seen his friend so angry. Even though the villains back on earth had tried to kill Magik Viper, more than once, they had never actually done so. Armies, however, knew that if any of the villains back home had actually killed Magik, Veil would do the same thing to them that he was doing to Tyron now.


	23. Chapter 23

* * *

_MEAN WHILE WITH SANNA AND CALN: _

Sanna dodged a blow to her head and took down a guard when Caln said, "I'm sorry I left you."

"What?" Sanna asked punching another male viper in the face, "Is this really the time or the place for that?"

"I'm telling you this in the event that we don't survive this, Sanna." Caln said driving the sword throw one of the guards. This battle was growing long and it seemed that the number of guards was growing by the second because of the number of pets that were in the room and that's the way Caln had trained them. He was the head of the royal guard or at least had been up until the moment he betrayed Tyron. Some of the guards were barely men. Boys who had dreamed of fighting for the Malous people ever since they were youngsters and once they were of the age, they joined the guard. However, with the physical training also came the determination that nothing would or could stop them. Knowing this, Caln knew the battle would not end until they were all knocked out cold or dead.

"You have confidence in us." Sanna said doing a back flip as she attempted to dodge a fire imp. She knew Caln had the right to think the way he did but she would rather think there was a chance for them to win.

"Why did you leave me all those years ago?" Sanna asked with anger in her voice. She had never understood why he had left her standing in the ran that night on top of the hill. "Do you know how hurt I was? Do you know how I cried myself to sleep every night for years? I had abdicated my throne publically, Caln. I had no where to go when you left me. I couldn't turn back."

"Surely you knew that I never wanted to hurt you." Caln said receiving a punch to the gut but delivered a kick to the offending viper.

"Caln, how could I have known? I called out to you with my heart, mind, body, and soul but you never answered. I kept trying for a year but you never answered. That's why I blocked you. That's why I've been angry with you ever since." Sanna said and with her mind not paying attention, a guard mananged to get her on the floor by giving her a firm kick to her legs.

Upon seeing this Caln teleporterd himself the short distance to Sanna's side and unleasing sonic waves on the planet and forced some of the gaurds to fall to the ground while the ground held the others. For the ones who were held, Caln went and knocked them out cold. Once the gaurds had been taken care of Caln went to Sanna, pulled her on to her feet and kissed her for the first time in years. At first Sanna wanted to pull away because she was still hurt but her feelings for Caln, that she thought had been long gone, suddenly came fludding back. Her heart began to pound harder than it had before in her chest and her breath became short as she remembered how much she loved the Leader of the Royal Viper Guard. All these years she had blocked her love for him out with the anger that enraged with in her.

_How could I have known that you didn't want to hurt me if you didn't tell me why you left? _Sanna asked as she gently pulled away from the kiss. Caln sighed and didn't say anything for a moment.

_You know that I worked for Tyron when I came to stop you at the meeting._ Caln said gently, _When I left you, after you had abdicated, I was following orders._

_My abdication was part of Tyron's plan?_ Sanna asked but Tyron had been young when she had abdicated. Could his thirst for power have started before he became eligible to gain the throne?

_Not Tyron's plan._ Caln said, _His mother's._

Sanna remembered her brother's wife and how she had been a evil, sly woman. She gave Sanna a bad taste in her mouth when ever she saw the mother of the only male heir. Her eyes had been as white as diamonds and her hair red as the blood that ran through the viper people. She had only gained power by marrying the only male son of the Empress and even then she didn't rule the entire planet because the Empress had not passed it onto anyone. Sanna had never understood what her brother saw in that viper and there were many days where she wished the ancesters would grant her powers so she could take the evil woman out herself but that never happened. When Brokal died, Gietra left Malous and her son and never came back.

However, Penne had said that she would pass the throne down to Sanna when she went to be with the ansectors. This was so because the oldest child, Tal, was no longer on earth so the right to the throne would pass to the next child, which was Sanna.

_Gietra didn't like the fact that Tyron would never be Emperor so she had you convince me to leave the throne?_

Caln simply nooded his head as he held Sanna. His missed the little things about her. The smell of her hair after she washed it. The taste of homemade cookie crumbs on her lips when he kissed her. The feel of her skin on his as they slept peacefully through the night. He had loved Sanna long before Gietra had told him to make her abdicate her throne so Tyron could be the heir to the throne. The reason he left her had nothing to do with wanting to hurt her but everything to do with wanting to protect her.

"Why did you leave?" Sanna asked. She knew Caln spoke the truth because Gietra had been the kind of woman who would steal the thron to give it to her son but there was something Caln was not revealing.

"To protect you."

"From what?"

"Gietra." Caln said, "She told me that if I did not leave you and rejoin the guard as it's leader then she would have you killed. Seeing as there was no way for you to protect yourself from her because you don't have powers, I left you. I knew you would probably never forgive me but Sanna please believe me when I tell you that I never wanted to leave you. You say you cried yourself to sleep for years. I did the same and at times I wanted to kill myself for how I had hurt you. I tried to call out to you but you didn't answer., I suppose that was when you blocked me. Please, my love, forgive me?"

Sanna's eyes were full of tears as she nodded her head and simply clung on to the man she loved. He had told her everything that happened and knowing that there was no way she could be mad at him still.

"We should go find Rayanna." Caln said, "I simply pray that Veil and Armies got the cure to her in time."

Sanna nodded as she released Caln and began to walk but stumbled and would have fallen had Caln not caught her. "Are you all right?"

"I think so. One of your men hurt my leg. I can't walk on it." Sanna said.

"Would you like me to carry you?"

"No I think I can limp but thank you love." Sanna said as they began to leave the room and search for Rayanna and her friends.

* * *

As he watched his friend, Armies realized he wasn't real sure what to do. He didn't know if he should stop Veil from killing Viper's cousin or if he should join in. He was still in shock that his friend was actually gone. He began to think that maybe he could rez her but then he remembered that Vip had tried to do the same thing with her grandmother days before and it had not worked. Apparently something in the chemical prevented the use of heals and rez to save the person who was dying. He simply wished that he could have saved Vip. He knew that that was Veil's place being that he was the one who was her soul mate and all but still. He may have fought with her sometimes but he fought with her because she was like his sister. She had done things for him that no one else would ever have done and now that she was gone, he didn't know what he was going to do. 

_You did save me Kory._

Veil suddenly stopped punching Tyron and looked back at Viper's lifeless body. He stood to his feet leaving Tyon to bleed on the floor as he watched Viper.

"Veil?" Armies asked seeing his friend stand up. Armies hadn't heard a thing but had Veil? Did Viper communicate with Veil through their special bond link? He didn't know but there was only one way to find out. "Whatcha doing?"

"Shhh." Veil said walking slowly to where Viper lay, knelt down and began to communicate with her.

_Rayanna._ Veil said running his hand down her arm. He could still see the bruses and scraps that Tyron had given her and as he looked at them, his anger for Tyron grew. How could a man beat his own blood half to death? That Veil would never understand. _Is it really you?_

_Yes Kory._ She said as green healing light encompassed her, telling Armies and the barely alive Tyron that she was alive once more. _It's me._

A moment later, Viper stood to her feet but something was different about her. Her eyes were now a firey red and the flame consumed her head. With her black leather top, pants and long red and black cape, she looked pissed and everyone in the room knew she had every right to be.

She saw Tyron laying half dead on the ground. His eyes and lips were swollen. Blood ran down his arms like water running down a mountainside. She didn't need to ask who'd punished Tyron for what he had done to her. She all ready knew. She'd known that if she were to die by Tyron's hand, then Tyron would die by Veil's hand, however she was not about to let him feel the release of death. No, that would be the easy way out and that was the last thing Viper wanted for Tyron. Suddenly the green light surrounded Tyron and the two humans watched as the enemy's wounds were completely healed.

"Uh, Magik." Armies said, "You do remember that he's the bad guy right? I mean Veil did you a favor by kicking that guys butt."

Viper smiled slightly as she said, "I remember who he isss, Armiesss but I want my enemy to be able to fight me."Viper said as she hissed as she spoke. Showing not only her fangs but her half human half viper tongue as well.

There had only been one other time when she had hissed like that. At that point, Veil and Armies had never seen Viper mad yet alone pissed enough to bring out the viper in her, but there was a first time for everything. It was a year ago when she'd been on a mission with Veil, Armies and a tank by the name of Captain G. During one of the battles, Captain G was separated from the group, thus Viper's heals, and was inevitably killed. When he returned from the hospital, he began to tell Viper that she was not a real healer and that the team needed one. She had tried to restrain herself from beating Captain from here to kingdom come but her voice had betrayed her. Even though she had tried to be mature about the whole situation, Captain had begun to target not only her but Armies as well. When that happened she lost it. At that point in time, Viper was about ready to bite the tank and pump him full of venom, a move she never used, and would have, had Captain G not been a granite tank. So instead she pulled out her phantism and blinded him and then Armies stepped in and had a piece of the ungrateful tank.

Not only did Armies pull out his own Phantism, as Veil and Viper had both done, but he blinded the Captain, got out his Spectral Terror and then started wailing on the tank's arse. So with the three phantisms plus Armies' phantom army, the granite tank didn't have a chance.

Veil was extreamly angered that this tank had the nerve to not only target his friends but a woman. Where Veil and Armies came from, one was suppose to treat a woman with respect and not curse at her. At that moment in time, Veil was more concerned with Viper's well being than taking out the tank. For now, Veil would allow Armies to handle Captain but come morning, he would hunt Captain Gale down and give him a piece of his mind. However, that never happened because after Armies' beat down, Viper never heard from the tank again. Once Armies had beaten the tank for a few moments, Viper kicked him from the team and removed all possible contact with him. Since then nothing had angered Viper enough to hiss till now.

Upon seeing Tanon, Viper narrowed her eyes at him and said, "You disssgusst me. You changed ssssidesss more often then a camilon changessss colorssss. You wouldn't know loyalty if it bit you in the assssss!"

Viper knew her fight was not with Tanon but Tyron. There was more at stake than loyalty there. She knew Veil wanted a piece of Tanon and so she would give the man who betrayed her to the man who never would.

"To think that for one moment, I believed that I could get closssse to you." She added. Even though nothing had happened while she had been in Tanon's arms, she felt bad that she'd ever been in Tanon's arms because of how she felt for Veil.

"You going to kill me for it halfling?" Tanon asked sarcastically.

"Me?" Viper asked, "No you are not the battle I am going to choossse." Viper said looking from tanon to Veil. She didn't know what he'd do exactly but Tanon would get everything he deserved.

She diverted her attention from the betraying Tanon to the evil Tyron.

"Tyron I challenge you to a battle of Kal-Rayal."

Tyron's eyes grew wide at the half viper's words.

"What's wrong Tyron?" Viper asked, "Didn't think I'd know anything about Kal-Rayal?"

"You wish to fight to the death?" Tanon asked upon hearing Kal-Rayal.

"**WHAT?!?!**" Armies exclaimed, **"You just came back from being dead!! Your willing to die again?!?!"**

Viper simply shot a glare at her tiny friend, which she never would have done had she not been pissed all ready.

"Let her do what she has to." Veil said to Armies in a low whisper. He wanted a piece of Tanon just as much as Viper wanted a piece of her cousin and he knew as soon as Viper started her battle, he would start his.

"Your really going to let her die?"

"You really have no faith in her?" Veil said answering his friend's question with yet another question. He did not want his Love to die again but he had faith that she would survive. He knew, even on this viper planet that God was with them. The fact that Rayanna was breathing once more was testament to that.

_Kory, where is the Krystal?_ She asked when she noticed Tyron no longer had it on his cape.

_I have it._ He replied pulling it out of his pocket.

_Throw it to me._

Without question, he tossed Viper the Krystal, who then placed it on her belt.

"We fight to the death." Viper said once more, "but I have one condition."

"And what is that?"

"That if I do die, you are to leave Veil, Armies and Sanna alone! Allow them to leave this planet and go to earth. You are not to follow them or do them any harm at all. Deal?"

Tyron thought about it for a moment and then agreed.

"Very well little cousin. A duel to the death."

_Rayanna, are you sure about this?_

_I am._ She replied. She could feel Veil's worry for her and he had every right to be. She had just come back from the dead and he didn't want to lose her again. Hell, she didn't want to die again but she had full confidence that she would be the one walking away from this battle. _Don't worry Love. Not only do I have my powers but I have the Krystal. He won't hurt me anymore. He won't hurt anyone anymore_. 


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: This was another fun chapter to write and is among my favorites. Hope you like it.

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The battle began by both Illusion controllers calling upon their Phantoms and Phantom Armies and as they did, Veil made a plan of his own.

"Keep your heals, Clear Mind and Fortitude on her at all times."

"Thought you said we had to let her do this?"

"We do but I'm not going to let her die." Veil said firmly. Even though Vip had the Krystal, he still worried that something would go wrong. He'd just gotten her back and there was no chance in hell that he'd let her be taken from him again. Upon seeing Tanon trying to protect Tyron, Veil charged him saying, "Oh no you don't." He tackled the male viper, taking him to the ground.

"Remember I said I'd deal with you later? Well it's later."

Tanon kicked Veil off of him and then stood to his feet.

"You really think you can beat me Pretty boy?" Tanon asked taunting Veil, "You know I was only doing what you couldn't with Rayanna."

"That punch I gave you," Veil said calling upon his phantom army and phantism, "Was a warning for dishonoring Rayanna with your words. Now, because you have not only dishonored her with your words but actions, I will not show any form of restraint."

Armies prepared himself to heal Viper but found that she actually didn't need it. Actually Veil needed it more than she did. She was healing herself with heal aura but Tyron wasn't doing much damage. He would go in for a punch and she'd send him flying using gale. He'd send in his pets for the attack, she'd call upon everything from imps to Jack Frost to Phantom Army and Phantom to beat the pets back. He came in for a blow to Vip's head but she got the drop on him by using sonic siphon to weaken him and then unleased sonic waves on the planet that caused a local earthquake, sending Tyron across the room, where he was stopped by a wall.

"Armies, heals on Viper!!" Veil yelled using his fire shield to protect himself from attacks as he used fire balls to force Tanon to dance.

"She doesn't need it." Armies yelled back as he forted Veil, "Tyron's not getting any hits on her." Armies said as he saw Veil beating on Tanon. The Illusion/Kinetic human controller hurredly speed towards Tanon, grabbing the blind viper, ran him into a wall, thus knocking him out cold.

"You should have stayed dead Rayanna!" Tyron said getting back to his feet.

"And let you win? I don't think so!" Rayanna said as she attacked Tyron with spectral wounds. causing him to see spider type creatures all over his body. The full viper had to convince himself that they were not real and only illusions that Rayanna had placed on him. "You see, Tyron." Viper said, "I made a promise to my grandmother."

"What was that?" Tyron said as he kicked Rayanna but she grabbed his foot, spun him sideways ion the air and let him fall to the ground. He stood to his feet once more and she blew him off his feet, sending him into the wall.

"I promised her that I would avenge her death!"

_Speed Boost me Love._ She said and a moment later Veil complied. She sped across the room, jumped on top of her cousin as she blinded him and began to beat him repeatedly. She was doing the same thing Veil had done only moments before.

As Veil stood by and watched, he knew he had to stop Viper. True he had almost killed Tyron himself and would have had Viper not awoke when she had but that was different. As Rayanna unleased all her anger onto her cousin Veil attempted to calm her.

_Vip, you can't kill him Anymore than I can kill Tanon. _

_Why not?_ She asked. Veil could hear the anger in her voice. _You almost did._

_I know Sweet but that was different. _

_How? _

_You were dead._ Veil said simply. _I was making him pay for what he had done to you. I wouldn't have cared if I had to live with knowing I had killed your cousin when I knew that he had killed you. It was a burden that I was willing to bear. _

_But?_ Viper asked not letting up on Tyron, who had managed to get a couple of good hits on viper. Her left cheek was now bleeding and she'd been hit in the gut at least once.

_But I cannot let you make that same choice._ Veil said as he went over to Viper and pulled her off of her cousin. Veil took Viper into his arms and simply held her and as he did, he looked at Tyron and saw that Vip did more of a number on Tyron than he had before. Veil knew that if Tyron didn't get medical help soon, then the crowned prince would die. _It is not your place to bear that burden. Not now. Just as it was not my place to take care of Tyron. No matter how much I wanted to. _

_Kal-Rayal is about honor yes? _

Viper nodded her head_. If one dies in Kal-Rayl then one dies with honor. _

_Then don't letr him die. You said yourself that you would not allow him to die with his viper honor. _

As Veil held Viper, he felt her body release the anger that she had been holding him and heard her begin to cry. All he could do was hold her. There was nothing more that needed to be said. He had said what she needed to hear and the conversation would continue when she was ready to speak once more. After a moment of two, Vip pulled away from Veil and asked, "Where's Sanna."

"Right here." Came her voice from across the room. Viper turned to the direction from which Veil had come and saw Caln and Sanna, who walked with a limp, coming towards them. Viper saw that Sanna carried a sword but didn't understand why. That had been the first long sword she had seen ever since she had set foot on this planet. Why did Sanna have it?

_Sanna doesn't have powers_. Veil said when he saw Viper's puzzled look.

_Really?_ Viper asked looking at Veil who nodded his head.

Armies saw Veil nod his head and said, "That ain't fair."

"What's not?"

"The fact that I ain't gonna be able to hear your conversation with Magik."

Veil smiled and said, "We won't do it all the time."

"Yea, sure, ok." Armies said with a smile.

"Sanna are you all right?" Viper asked.

"Yes. Just a slight wound to my leg. Nothing that won't heal."

Nothing I can't fix." Viper said as she healed her aunts leg.

"Caln," Viper said, "Take Tyron to the medical area. Tell the medical chief to inform me if he lives. Because eif that is the case, then I shall have a punishment for his crimes."

"What about Tanon?" Caln asked and then looked at Sanna., "Sanna had threatened him with the punishment of the ancestors."

Viper thought for a moment and then nodded her head, "Then that is the punishment he shall receive for his betrayal." Even though Viper didn't know what the punishment of the ancestors was, she would allow her aunt to take care of the betrayer since she had been the one to threaten him.

As Caln nodded his head, Armies stepped forward and with his phantism and phantom army helped carry, Tyron and Tanon away.

"Sanna, I'm going to need the location of any uninhabited worlds."

Sanna nodded her head and then said, "We will need to get you ready for the ceremony that will officially make you Empress."

"We can do that shortly."

"Good. I shall go make arrangements." Sanna said bowing to her niece as she left the room, leaving Veil and Viper alone at last.

"You gave me quite a scare, Pretty Lady." He said wrapping his arms around her once more.

"When I died?" Viper asked and then said, "That shouldn't have scared you."

"And how , my dear, do you figure that?" Veil asked, "I thought I had lost you. I've never been so scared in my whole life."

"Kory, I told you that I'd come back to you. I am a woman of my word and not even death can keep me from keeping it." She said and then after a moment of silence she said, "Love, listen, about the way you found me with Tanon. I'm sorry."

"It's all right Sweetie." Veil said gently.

"I know but I still feel bad that I was ever in that position knowing how I feel about you."

"Rayanna, listen to me." Kory said, "the love that we have for each other, can't be broken by anything and it can't be threatened. I will always love you."

"I love you too Kory." Viper said hugging her man and as she did he smiled and asked, "What are you going to do with the Krystal now that you have it?"

"I know someone who will keep it safe." Viper said and then leaned forward and kissed the man she loved for a second time. A kiss could easily become boring but that is only in the case of people who are not soul mates. With Viper and Veil, their love was genuine and pure. Their love would be one that countless others would admire and want for themselves. Their love would last not only a life time but forever.

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A/N: Please review.


	25. Chapter 25

A day later, everyone gathered in the enormous, elegant ballroom for the ceremony that would make the young Rayanna the Empress of Malous. Blue, red, lavender, orange and green decorations lined the walls and ceiling of the large round room. Tables and chairs were set up on the edge of the room for anyone who wished to sit down but if you did, you were liekyl to miss something because of how many people were in the room.

Everyone was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the rightful princess so that the ceremony could begin. Veil and Armies were especially anxious because neither of them liked being away from Viper for this long in a place they didn't know too well. True, they'd been there for several days and had fought battles and won but the two male controllers still weren't used to being the only full humans on the planet.

"Dang, Magik's acting more like a girl today than ever." Armies whispered to Veil.

"What's that suppose to mean?" Veil asked with a laugh.

"It doesn't typically take her this long to get ready for anything." Armies said trying to whisper so that only veil could hear him but knowing how well Magik could hear, he doubted Veil was the only one who could hear their conversation. "I mean when we radio her for missions, she's there in not time at all. Now, she's taking like a day just to get ready."

"It's only been thirty minutes and you know it." Veil said with a smile.

_Beautiful, you almost ready? _

_Yes Love, why? _

_Armies is getting impatient._ Veil said and Rayanna's reply was simply her laughing.

"She'll be here in a minute."

Just then the room fell quiet and directed their attention to the staircase. There was a platform in the middle of the room that had three staircases attached to it. This platform was to be the where the ceremony took place and Rayanna would descend from the middle staircase.

Music began to sound as the door opened and Caln stepped out.

"People of Malous," He said. He was dressed in black leather pants and matching vest, whish is what Veil and Armies were given to wear, however Armies wore blue and Veil wore red. Kory found it strange that he was wearing red when no one else in the room was. Mostly everyone was wearing light blues, blacks and greens. "It is my pleasure to introduce the heiress, Princess Rayanna."

Caln stepped out of the door way to reveal Rayanna standing behind him. As she descended the staircase, Veil and the rest of the people in people in the room, couldn't help but notice how breath taking Viper was. Her hair was pulled back in the normal pony tail so you could see her birthmark, the mark of the vipers, on the back of her head but the gown was what was so stunning. Form fitting and floor length, the cherry red gown gently creased her figure as she descended the stairs. Around her neck was a red scarf that simply made her eyes pop.

When she reached the platform, a male viper, who Veil and Armies assumed was the earth equivalent of a priest, began to speak.

"Rayanna, Daughter of Tal and Granddaughter of Empress Penne, are you the rightful heiress?"

"I am."

"Niece of Sanna and Brokal, do you swear to rule justly and swiftly?"

"I do."

"Mother of Future Rulers, will you promise to protect the people of Malous, your people, as you would your own children?"

"I will." Viper said. Yes, she had finally accepted the fact that they were not just her mother's people but her's as well. They had finally acknowledged that she was not only alive but a valuable member of the royal family.

"Then by the power of the ancestors I know crown you, Rayanna, Empress of Malous." The viper said as he placed a crown of beautiful jewels on Magik's head and then stepped back.

"Well guess I should be going." Armies said sighing.

"What?" Veil asked, "Where you going?"

"Home." Armies said but upon seeing Veil's confused face added, "She's Empress now. She's staying here and there's no way in hell that your gonna let her stay here alone. There's no place for me here."

Viper looked out into the crowed with a smile upon her face but that smile faded when she saw Armies beginning to leave.

_Darlin' where is Armies going? _

_He doesn't think there is a place for him here. Says you and I are staying because you are empress now. _

Viper was quiet for a moment because she hadn't thought about what Armies had said. She hadn't had time to think about it until now. There was no one else to take her place as Emperess should she want to leave and return to Earth. So the only option that Armies had come up with was that She and Veil would be staying on Malous for the foreseeable future. But was that the only option?

_Tell him I said nothing is going to change_.

Veil simply nodded his head, grabbed Armies right before he left the room and said, "Rayanna says nothing is going to change."

"Huh?" Armies asked, "How she gonna do that?"

"I don't know." Veil said, "But she is the Empress after all."

When Veil got Armies to come back to where they had stood before he cupped his hands around his lips and said, "Speech! Speech!" The whole room eventually caught on and began to chant with him.

Rayanna raised her hand to silence the crowed. She knew Veil had started the changing but why she wasn't sure. She wasn't good with speeches espesually when she had nothing prepared.

"I am Rayanna." She said addressing her people. "Granddaughter of Penne, daughter of Tal, niece of Sanna and Brokal."

"What happened to the Crowned Prince?" A male viper, dressed in dark green and browns, asked from the left of the stage. Sanna had warned her that there would be many questions before she could actually relax and enjoy the party.

"For the murder of Brokal, Penne and the attempt to kill myself, Tyron has been banished to Abal, the farthest uninhabited planet known to Malous. He was stripped of not only his royal claim to the throne but his powers as well as his "viper form." Viper said revealing what she had done with Tyron since he had survived the battle of Kal-Rayal. However, she would not tell them what had become of Tanon because in all honesty she didn't know. It was one of those things that once decided what was to be done, it was never spoken of again.

"Your Majesty," Said a red headed female viper dressed in a light blue dress, "You say Tyron murdered both Brokal and Penne. Where is your evidence that this is so? It was said that Brokal died on his quest for the Krystal and Penne died of old age."

"That is what you were told happened. Penne did not die because of old age. She died because of a toxin that Tyron had placed into her blood stream. Once that toxin was in the blood stream it was untraceable or at least that is what Tyron believed. As for Brokal, I am not sure how exactly he died seeing as how that happened before my arrival here but I can tell you that Tyron confessed to killing his father when he was trying to kill me."

_Trying?_ Veil asked,_ He did kill you Sweet_.

_I know Kory_. She replied without showing any facial expression that she was talking to Veil. _But they don't have to know that. _

Sanna suddenly came and stood next to Veil and said, "She is breath taking."

"That and more Sanna. That and more." Veil said simply.

"Veil Allegory," Sanna said, "I'm glad she found you. You two were meant to be but if you ever hurt her…."

"Trust me Sanna." Veil said looking at the woman he loved so deeply, "That will never happen."

"Good cause if it ever did, you would more than likely be hunted down by the entire viper Army." Sanna said with a smile. "Oh Veil, you may want to be prepared to go forward."

"Why?"

"She will have to announce her mate tonight."

Veil nodded his head as he began to move closer to the stage and turned his attention back to the woman he loved.

"Tyron is gone. Penne has moved on to the ancestors, I am the only living her to the throne. So I am your Empress. However—"

"There's a butt?" Sanna asked looking at Armies, who stood right beside her. "Is she turning down the throne?"

"I am as lost as you are Sanna." Armies said wondering what his friend was doing.

"--I have two planets that I have a duty to. My human planet, Earth and my viper planet, Malous. Since I cannot be two places at once, I am appointing Sanna to act in my stead while I am on earth."

The room clapped as Viper turned to face Sanna and motioned for her to come to the platform with her. Sanna slowly walked forward and whispered, "What are you doing?"

"Giving you a taste of the spotlight." Viper whispered with a smile.

"I have no powers." Sanna said, "How do you expect me to rule?"

"Sanna, it shouldn't matter whether you have powers or not if you should get to rule or not." Viper said with a smile and added, "But nevertheless, I am placing the Krystal in your care. Keep it with you at all times."

Viper said as she pulled the Krystal out of her pocket revealing that she had it made into a necklace for Sanna to wear.

"Thank you Rayanna." She said hugging her niece and then they heard, "Empress, are you going to choose a mate?"

Viper smiled as she felt Kory's warm gentle hand on the small of her back. He knew what the answer was going to be as did those closest to her.

"His name is Kory Mathas also called Veil Allegory." Viper said, "He is full human."

"So your heirs will only be 1/4th viper." Asked the man who had started the round of questions.

Viper nodded her head with a smile on her face. She and Kory had just told each other that they were in love so there was no way that either one of them were actually thinking about heirs to the viper throne but she knew it was a question she would have to answer.

"Yes. My children would only be 1/4th viper with Veil as my mate. At that point, I would suggest that if the people of Malous do not want a 1/4th viper as a ruler then I would suggest that we select an eligible full viper to take Malous into the future." Viper said and then after glancing at Armies said, "Also, I would like to introduce my right hand man, Armies."

Armies smiled as he stepped forward, the same time Sanna called Caln, and stood by Veil.

"This is the Royal Family of Malous." Viper said and when she saw that no one had any further questions she added, "Now let's get this party Started!"

Viper looked at Veil with a smile. He returned the smile took Rayanna's hand in his and said, "Shall we dance?"

Viper simply nodded as the two flew off the platform to the dance floor, which had been cleared for their first dance as Empress and Emperor. As the music of her people danced its ways to her ears she couldn't help but remember a song that she had heard a few weeks before they had left for Malous. It was a song about soul mates and how there was only one for you and the right one was hard to find. It was a song that rang completely true for Rayanna and Kory. Rayanna had always known that the right man was hard to come by but she never thought that the right man would be her best friend. She always thought that she'd meet the man of her dreams off in a far off land but as it turned out the right man for her was right there at home, right under her nose. It couldn't have been more perfect than that.

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A/N: Ok one more chapter to go before this great story comes to an end. Please review


	26. Chapter 26

That night it was time to say their goodbyes and send Rayanna and her friends back home. So in the hanger bay, with the ship ready to go and awaiting its pilot, Sanna bid her niece farewell while Veil and Armies walked into the ship.

"Hey Armies, "Veils aid following his little buddy onto the ship, "I've got something for you."

"Really?" Armies asked once he sat in his chair, "What is…..?"

Armies didn't finish his sentence because Veil had turned around and blinded him.

"Hey!!" Armies asked, "What was that for?!"

"For blinding me earlier!" Veil said.

"Thought you said you forgave me."

"I did but you do it again and there's more where that came from kiddo."

"Rayanna," Sanna said taking her niece's hand, "Thank you so much. Thank you for saving your people."

"Your welcome Sanna." Viper said hugging her aunt. "Thank you for making me see that these are my people and not just my mother's."

"Sanna, you're in charge but call me if anything drastic happens."

Sanna nodded her head. "I will Magik Viper."

"VIPER!!' Armies yelled.

"What?" Viper asked as she walked into the ship, readied it for takeoff and as soon as the hanger bay door was open, she began to fly the ship home.

"Your boyfriend blinded me." He whined.

"Maybe you deserved it."

"Hey!" Armies said, "You know what!! That's just Super Troll!" Armies was quite for a moment but when they were in space he said, "Ninety-Nine Bottles of beer on the wall. Ninety-Nine bottles of beer. Take one down pass it around, 98 bottles of beer on the wall."

"Armies!!" Veil and Viper said together. The flight home was long and would allow Armies to sing that song over and over and over but honestly, Viper wouldn't have it any other way.

Finally, four rounds of Ninety-Nine bottles, countless rounds of "I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves" and at least two near strangling episodes later, the three were home. Viper landed the ship in the ship yard and they exited the ship.

As soon as they got off the ship, and began walking down the street, they noticed a an African girl, with long white hair fighting several bad guys off. She was doing ok but her ice holds were slipping and the villains were able to get more and more hits on her with every passing moment. Seeing this, Armies went to her aid by not only pulling out his pets but by healing the girl as well.

"Should we help him?" Viper asked but Veil simply shook his head.

"Nah, let him handle it." Veil said and that is exactly what Armies did. At one point, the girl was knocked off her feet and as she managed to get back up, Armies took out the remaining villains while saying, "You don't hit a girl!!"

Viper laughed to herself as she saw Armies talking with the girl. His face lit up and honestly, he looked happier than Viper had ever seen him. He told the girl to hold on and then came running over to Viper and Veil.

"Hey guys, I'm gonna catch up with ya later."

"But we were gonna grab something to eat?" Viper asked smiling. She was simply teasing Armies because it wasn't every day that he met a pretty lady who wasn't all ready taken.

"I promise Vip that I'll have dinner or lunch with you another time. It's just…..just….."

"What's her name?" Viper asked quickly.

"Weather Witch." Armies said, "She wants me to have dinner with her. So…"

"Go on." Viper said, "Get out of here."

"Thank you very much." Armies said as he turned back to Weather Witch and the two flew off into the sky.

"You want to grab some dinner Pretty Lady?"

"Defiantly, considering the fact that I haven't eaten anything in a while." Viper said but before anything else could be said or done, Viper's visual radio began to go off.

"Sorry Darling." She said as she answered her com-link and saw an officer on the other end. "Officer(name)." Viper said, "What can I do for you?"

"Magik Viper." Officer(name) said and then upon seeing Veil said, "Good evening Veil Allegory."

"Good evening sir. What can we do for you?"

"The Carnies have invaded a warehouse in Founder's fall. We need someone on it A.S.A.P."

"We're on it, Officer." Viper said and then hung up with the officer. Then turned to Veil and said, "I'm sorry Love. Dinner's going to have to wait."

"No sweat Sweetie." Veil said, kissing Viper's cheek. "I'll meet you there. I've got to go pick up a few things."

"Okay Love."

"Don't start without me, Baby." Veil said taking to the skies.

"Wouldn't dream of it Babe." Viper said as she watcher her boyfriend take off and fly. He was perfect in every way. She knew she was lucky to have a man like him in her life and she would hang on to him forever if God allowed. Thinking about her life, she knew that God had blessed her in every way and she was thankful for that.

**A/N: Thank to all who read this. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. There will eventually be a sequal. I have an idea in mind but am a little stuck. If anyone has suggestions I am opne. Again thx for reading.**


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